Abstract:
Aquarius is a state-of-the-art computer model devoted to the temporal and spatial allocation of water among competing uses in a river basin. The model is driven by an economic efficiency operational criterion requiring the reallocation of stream flows until the net marginal return in all water uses is equal. This occurs by systematically examining, using a nonlinear optimization technique, the
... feasibility of reallocating unused or marginally valuable water storage and releases in favor of alternative uses. Because water-system components can be interpreted as objects of a flow network, the model considers each component as an equivalent node or structure in the programming environment as well. This is done using an object-oriented programming language (C++).
Aquarius is an analysis framework rather than a single dedicated model for water allocation. The model was implemented using an object-oriented programming (OOP) language (C++). Water systems are ideal candidates for modeling under an OOP framework, where each system component (e.g., reservoir, demand area, diversion point, river reach) is an object in the programming environment. Aquarius supports the following water uses (system components):
-Storage reservoir
-Hydropower plants
-Agricultural water use
-Municipal and industrial water use
-Instream recreation water use
-Reservoir recreation water use
-Fish habitat protection
-Flood control area
[Summary provided by the US Forest Service.] 
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