Developing a Multi-Objective Optimization Scheduling Method for the Yangtze to Huaihe River Water Diversion Project Considering Lake Regulation and Storage

Inter-basin water diversion projects have emerged as a critical solution to address water scarcity crises stemming from the uneven spatial distribution of water resources. The economic feasibility of these projects is significantly influenced by multiple factors, including water source composition, target beneficiaries, and the specific characteristics of diversion routes and distances. This research developed a novel multi-objective optimization framework utilizing a simulation-based optimization methodology designed to formulate efficient joint operational strategies that maximize water supply reliability while reducing operational expenditures. The practicality of this framework is validated through its implementation in the Yangtze to Huaihe River Water Diversion Project (YHWDP) in China. The results revealed that the proposed joint operation rules achieve substantial improvements in both water supply efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the model demonstrated the capability to maintain a 95.5% water supply rate while reducing the water pumping volume to only 1.84 × 109 m3. Furthermore, comparative analyses with conventional operation rules showed that the joint operation strategy effectively utilized the runoff regulation capacity of lakes while significantly mitigating water level fluctuations. During the water diversion period, the average variance of the time series of water volume in three lakes decreased by 54.5%, thereby contributing to the preservation of ecological stability for lake flora and fauna. The findings of this research not only provided practical insights for optimizing the operational performance of the YHWDP but also established a valuable framework for developing joint operation strategies in similar long-distance water diversion projects between basins.