Beyond engineering: A review of reservoir management through the lens of wickedness, competing objectives and uncertainty

Abstract

Traditionally, reservoir management has been synonymous with the operation of engineering infrastructure systems, with the majority of literature on the topic focusing on strategies that optimize their operation and control. This is despite the fact that reservoirs have major impacts on society and the environment, and the mechanics of how to best manage a reservoir are often overshadowed by both environmental changes and higher-order questions associated with societal values, risk appetite and politics, which are highly uncertain and to which there are no “correct” answers. As a result, reservoirs have attracted more controversy than any other type of water infrastructure. In this paper, we address these often-ignored issues by providing a review of reservoir management through the lens of wickedness, competing objectives and uncertainty. We highlight the challenges associated with reservoir management and identify research efforts required to ensure these systems best serve society and the environment into the future.