STUDY ON THE FREQUENCY OF EMERGENCY SPILLWAY GATE OPERATION IN MULTIPLE-PURPOSE DAMS IN SNOWY AREAS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

 This study aimed to evaluate the flood control functions of multi-purpose dams in snow-covered areas, considering increased flooding risks associated with climate change. In snow-covered areas such as Hokkaido, heavy rainfall during the snowmelt period makes the prevention of extreme floods difficult around multi-purpose dams due to their high water levels. This study estimated the frequency of disaster prevention operation due to severe flooding based on the climate change ensemble data for the whole year, including heavy rain in summers and snowmelt combined with heavy rainfall. The results indicate that the frequency of disaster prevention operations due to extreme flooding will increase in the future, especially during winter and snowmelt. The results obtained will be useful for planning flood control measures that can adapt to climate change, such as pre-flood dam release, dam regeneration, and construction of new dams.