Ratio control with error sharing to reduce irrigation canal delivery losses for run of the river diversion systems

This study presents a control algorithm that is developed to manage an open channel flow model of Elephant Butte Irrigation district (EBID), NM. The control algorithm uses ratio control with error sharing to manage water distribution across multiple canal reaches. Each canal reach is independently regulated by a control relationship that adjusts flow rates in response to downstream water levels, ensuring near-constant downstream levels and steady turnout flow rates to farm ditches. The system demonstrates that during periods of water off take changes from the canal reaches, the river flowrate diversion error is minimized. The largest discharge error from the river diversion was briefly at 3.34% while the largest offtake error was briefly at 9.3%. The ratio control system effectively maintained water levels at desired setpoints, even during changes in reach offtake flows. The use of ratio controllers with error sharing in conjunction with using the first reach as a small supply reservoir, significantly mitigated fluctuations, enhancing the overall stability and reliability of the system.