Articles | Volume 29, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2785-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2785-2025
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
03 Jul 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 03 Jul 2025

Is drought protection possible without compromising flood protection? Estimating the potential dual-use benefit of small flood reservoirs in southern Germany

Sarah Quỳnh-Giang Ho and Uwe Ehret

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Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2167', Anonymous Referee #1, 15 Aug 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Sarah Ho, 03 Sep 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2167', Anonymous Referee #2, 04 Dec 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Sarah Ho, 16 Dec 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (17 Jan 2025) by Adriaan J. (Ryan) Teuling
AR by Sarah Ho on behalf of the Authors (21 Feb 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (05 Mar 2025) by Adriaan J. (Ryan) Teuling
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (25 Mar 2025)
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (02 Apr 2025)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (02 Apr 2025) by Adriaan J. (Ryan) Teuling
AR by Sarah Ho on behalf of the Authors (03 Apr 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (03 Apr 2025) by Adriaan J. (Ryan) Teuling
AR by Sarah Ho on behalf of the Authors (07 Apr 2025)  Manuscript 
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Executive editor
This study addresses the highly relevant issue of dam operation around the central question if dam operation can help to alleviate both floods and droughts, and under what conditions. This study of dams in Germany is highly relevant to water management in a climate with increasing frequency and magnitude of weather extremes.
Short summary
In this paper, we use models to demonstrate that even small flood reservoirs – which capture water to avoid floods downstream – can be repurposed to release water in drier conditions without affecting their ability to protect against floods. By capturing water and releasing it once levels are low, we show that reservoirs can greatly increase the water available in drought. Having more water available to the reservoir, however, is not necessarily better for drought protection.
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