Advancing Water Resources Management Through Reservoir Release Optimization: A Study Case in Piracicaba River Basin in Brazil

Given significant water scarcity events in the recent past, water resources management in the Piracicaba River Basin, São Paulo, Brazil, has intensified the adoption of complex measures to meet the population’s water supply demands. This study presents a methodology to optimize reservoir water release while adhering to restrictive rules, aiming to also conserve water. A rainfall–runoff model was utilized alongside a hydrological routing model, incorporating meteorological forecasts for simulation over ten consecutive years. The results demonstrated significant water savings when comparing the optimization scenario with the actual reservoir operation during the same period. The applied methodology reduced water releases up to 66% in comparison to the observed scenario. Overall, the study introduces tools to improve reservoir operation with computational techniques, enriching local water resources management, water security, and decision-making processes, ensuring water security for the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, the most populous region in Brazil.