Hydro-CH2018: Multiple use of reservoirs

Natural and artificial lakes, hydropower dams and other reservoirs are used by several sectors for various purposes. Results of the national research program NRP 61 suggest that regional/local water shortage may occur more frequently in the future under climate change, increase in population, intensification of agriculture, and optimization of hydropower production. At the same time, a large portion of the current glacier mass and snow cover, which today provide an important fraction of the water yield in hot and dry summers, will be lost by the end of the century. As a consequence, the need for additional water storage and multi-purpose use of stored water will increase. But how large is the potential of reservoirs actually when it comes to extraordinary drought situations? This project aims at answering this question both at the national (Swiss) scale and for specific case study areas.