National Weather Service Professional Development Series Professional Competency Unit

Description of Job Duty Competency to be Achieved

Assess the results of the reservoir routing process as applied to current and forecast hydrometeorologic conditions.

Description of Need

The existence of reservoirs has a significant impact on flow at downstream forecast locations. In situations when the future discharges from a reservoir are not provided by the operating agency, the forecaster must configure the reservoir operations model to adequately simulate expected releases.

Specific Job Task Skills and Knowledge

1. Define a reservoir operation appropriate to the operating scheme at a given facility.

2. Apply knowledge of how reservoirs operate.

3. Use NWSRFS reservoir control language (RCL).

4. incorporate the reservoir model into a forecast group.

Instructional Components

Instructional Component 8.1: - Web Module (Proposed): Reservoir Operation Definition. This module will describe how to define reservoir operations during the NWSRFS calibration process. Topics covered will include how to develop parameters for reservoir models and how to use Reservoir Command Language(RCL).

Instructional Component 8.2 - Multiple Formats: PCU #6, Hydrologic Forecasting PDS: Assessing Results of the Reservoir Routing Process. Workshops, documentation, and other instructional components in this PCU provide training on reservoir operations and the reservoir routing approaches used in NWSRFS.

Instructional Component 8.3 - Workshop: Reservoir Operations. This workshop focuses on the reservoir operations available in NWSRFS, i.e., RES-SNGL, SSARRESV, and RES-J. Topics covered include: setting up the operations in NWSRFS, their operational use, and strengths of each one.

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