WATER ECONOMY PLANNING ON THE RIVER TRESKA BASIN BY SIMULATION MODEL

Abstract

Water management planning is crucial for long-term economic, social and environmental stability in civilized societies. One can only make plans with stored water, i.e. water impounded in reservoirs, formed with construction of dams. The process of long-term water planning and management includes creation of new reservoirs, adding new water users to existing reservoirs, as well as improved management of the existing reservoirs. Such analyses are done for the river Treska basin, located in the western part of R.N. Macedonia. With total basin area of 2068 km2 and average flow of Q=24,2 m3/s, currently there are three existing dams with reservoirs – Kozjak, St. Petka and Matka – supplying water for power production, as well providing flood protection of the city of Skopje. During the water economy planning process, four new reservoirs are planned – Greshnica, Podvis, Makedonski brod and Kalugjerica - in order to suffice the lack of fresh drinking water for the analysed basin, as well as water for irrigation of agricultural land for the upcoming 20 years. In order to oversee the new planned scheme for the river Treska basin, simulation model is prepared with application of HEC ResSim software. The simulation modelling is carried out on river scale extent, by inclusion of the existing and planned dams with reservoirs. The output results of the simulation model point out that the basin has enough capacity to suffice the water demands for water supply and irrigation, and in addition, it provides increased power production from renewable energy sources, for the next 20 years.