Flood Prevention and Watershed Management An Overview

Abstract

Web Sites are becoming mainstream, necessary components of every organization's mandate, whether that organization is governmental, academic or commercially based. With this popularity comes an increasing demand for intelligent web design: simple, attractive, easy-to-navigate style that balances well-written content with useful web technologies and freshness that will keep people coming back. The Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) has been employing these principles of Web design since its beginnings in 1993, focusing first on supplying useful content and secondly, ensuring that the useful content is well-organized and easy-to-navigate. By forming online partnerships with hundreds of groups involved in management of the Great Lakes ecosystem, GLIN represents a united Web presence for the entire region.     

Role of stratigraphy in the study of material and structural heterogeneity of irregularly dislocated metamorphic complexes

Widening of the extent and content of stratigraphic studies is a systems approach to the solution of problems of hydrotechnical construction. __________ Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel’stvo, No. 3, March 2006, pp. 13–19.     

Reservoir Sedimentation in India—Its Causes,Control, and Future Course of Action

ABSTRACT

A survey of Indian reservoirs has shown that they receive on an average about 200 percent more sediment than the design inflow. The causes are the usual, except that they are operating very intensely. In brief ‘misuse and mismanagement’ of the catchment area will describe the causes of higher rates of sedimentation.

Fortunately India is very much aware of this problem and a lot is being done by identifying the priority areas for treatment and implementation of programmes to reduce soil erosion and sediment generation.

While techniques and efficacy of various biological and structural control measures are well known, it is the policy and planning aspects which need greater attention at present. Some of them are:

—It is important that policy and planning should aim at developing the catchment area, reservoir and command area as a package.

—In the developing world sediment is the greatest pollutant and it must be recognised and treated as such.

—A policy for effective water resource and hydropower development, watershed and command area development must take into account the short term and long term, direct and indirect, private and social benefits, and endeavour to involve the people and the employees in such a way that they feel committed to efficient and effective implementation.     

Problems, methods, and results of instrumental seismic risk microzoning of areas of hydrotechnical construction

Problems, methods, and results of instrumental seismic risk microzoning (SRM) of areas of hydrotechnical construction are considered. New approaches are suggested for processing and analyzing the data, which are also applicable for practical SRM of inhabited localities and civil and industrial construction sites. __________ Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel’stvo, No. 11, November 2005, pp. 26–33.     

Determination of the level of seismic danger and design seismic loads for large hydrotechnical structures

A local network of sensitive high-accuracy seismological stations has to be created for seismological observations near a hydrotechnical structure and on the banks of the storage reservoir. The layout of the network is chosen with allowance for the configuration of the reservoir and for the location of the seismogenerating zone relative to the structure. __________ Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel’stvo, No. 11, November 2005, pp. 16–26.     

Experience in placing roller-compacted concrete in structures of the Bureya hydroelectric station

Conclusions Despite some, for now, lag behind the indices of world hydrotechnical construction achieved with the use of rollcrete technology [3], these works are presently being mastered on the construction of the Bureya dam and with a search for solutions on the placement of a SCM at negative temperatures needed under our climatic conditions. This experience is unconditionally useful for designing and constructing future hydrotechnical structures of the Moks, Gilyui, and other hydrostations. Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel'stvo, No. 8, pp. 47–50, August, 1995.     

Temperature regime of a gravity dam from rolled concrete

Factors affecting the temperature regime of a concrete dam, in particular, of a concrete dam erected from especially stiff concrete placed by the method of rolling, are considered. Main principles of a method for numerical solution of a nonstationary temperature problem in plane and volume formulations, which has been developed at the department of hydrotechnical construction of MGSU, are presented. __________ Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel’stvo, No. 12, December 2005, pp. 13–17.     

Social Science Training for Engineers—Experiences from the USA

ABSTRACT

This paper puts the accent on field measurements of the terms of the hydrological cycle, i.e., precipitation, evapotranspiration, run-off and infiltration, in order to evaluate the available water storage in surface reservoirs, in soils, in aquifers for short and long term planning.

Methodological and technological improvements illustrate in this paper not only the difficulties in obtaining reliable field hydrological data but also the fact that the behavioural knowledge of each term of the hydrological cycle is compulsory in order to determine the limits of the socio-economic development which depends upon the quantity of water resources available and in order to prevent eventual irreversible degradation of the environment.

No universal model exists because a model depends not only on the meteorological, hydrological andgeological conditions of the area under study but also on the planner's objectives concerning urban, industrial, navigational, agricultural and/or recreational activities. The studies of water resources are, therefore, in a permanent stage of pre-management. This is due to the fact that they have to be constantly adapted to new management conditions.

This becomes more and more imperative since water resources studies have been, and still are, undertaken too often in order to solve specific and isolated problems arising from short-sighted and/or short term planning and management.     

Water Quality Management in California

ABSTRACT

California is a land of contrasts. Within its boundaries are the highest and lowest elevations in the continental United States. The climate varies from subtropical to alpine and regional rainfall ranges from less than 50mm to more than 2,500mm annually. Water is a scarce and precious resources in California.

The basic approach used in Californias water quality control program is first to identify beneficial uses of the waters and then to develop water quality standards that are sufficient to protect the waters for those uses. The water quality control plan (basic plan) provides the technical basis for determining waste discharge requirements, taking enforcement actions, and evaluating clean water grant proposals. The paper discusses the background and philosophy of water pollution control practices in California with a specific example in the Sacramento River Basin.     

Economic Aspects of Soil Conservation Programs in Less-Developed Countries (LDCs)

ABSTRACT

This article evaluates the prospects for rainfall-runoff water harvesting as a means of increasing water supplies in Greater Amman and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Rain/all-runoff water harvesting is a small-scale water conservation approach for catching/storing rainfalls and certain runoff waters in a localized area. before the waters enter the usual hydrologic cycle. Generally the methods are small basic impounding concepts as compared with larger-scale river dams and reservoirs. Catchment of rainfall drainage from a building roof with tank storage is the commonest practice. This is an age-old practice used to sustain populations, mostly in arid areas of the world, but also in areas where water distribution systems are unavailable. In the following text, water harvesting yields are calculated for residential roofs and for the potential from commercial and industrial areas. as of 1990 and projected to 2005. The results show that rainfall-runoff water harvesting is an increasingly attractive consideration in arid areas facing acute water supply shortages, for both villages and urban centers.     

Bacteriological Quality of Rainwater in Roof and Ground Catchment Systems in Botswana

ABSTRACT

Bacteriological analyses were conducted on water samples from 13 roof tanks and 8 ground catchment tanks in Botswana in 1983. The results show that rainwater collected from corrugated iron roofs and stored in covered tanks is of high quality compared with traditional water sources and could provide a safe drinking water supply. The results for the ground catchment tanks, however, indicated that the water posed a serious health hazard. This is significant since several hundred ground tanks are already being used to provide water for other things besides human consumption. Since more ground tanks are planned both in Botswana and elsewhere in Africa the fencing of the catchment area and the use of simple sand and charcoal filters are recommended as the most practical means of insuring improved water quality in ground tanks.     

Water Resources Management in Saudi Arabia and Water Reuse

ABSRTACT

The potential for water reclamation and reuse in Saudi Arabia are assessed by considering relationships among the technical, social, economic, and environmental parameters. Generally, the planning process for water reuse has focused on specific technological processes, however water reuse should be analyzed as part of a total hydrologic system to ensure the efficient transfer of wastewater reuse technology

To bring relationships into better focus, the application is developed with reference to Saudi Arabia, which provides an excellent opportunity for practicing water reuse. In this region, a limited water supply is used to satisfy municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational and other beneficial uses. The economic and social trends are toward continued industrial development and urbanization. In this setting, water recycling through reuse is becoming a more and more important means of expanding water supplies to meet the growing demands for water for virtually all social, economic and environmental uses

Saudi Arabia is an arid country with very limited water resources and about 10 million people. The country covers some 2.2 million km², four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the largest country in the world without a river or a lake, and thus it represents the ultimate in its need to use the limited water supplies wisely.     

Ecological Values of Potential Polder Areas

ABSTRACT

Tank irrigation systems contribute nearly one third of the total irrigated area in south India and hence their management is an important practical need. This article examines some major considerations related to tank irrigation systems in south India. A comprehensive view of the problems affecting the sustainability of these systems is presented. The major deficiencies that influence the sustainability are inadequate maintenance. reduction in storage capacity, heavy seepage losses in the delivery system, and poor water management techniques. There is a pressing need to evolve and implement appropriate strategies that must be sound on technical, social, economical, institutional, and economical dimensions for sustainable development and management of tank systems. Important practical solutions are discussed for urgent action in the context of sustainable development and management of these irrigation systems.     

A Survey of United Nations Agencies and Offices in the Water Field

ABSTRACT

Although located in a sparsely populated and insufficiently investigated area, Wadi Howar deserves special consideration owing to its large area and geographic importance. Extending across the Darfur province of Sudan, from the central part of the continent in the north-east direction, Wadi Howar is more than 600 km long.

The average width of the wadi and its alluvial terrace in the middle of the lower flow stretch is about 6km, while the widest parts of exposed deposits are about 10 km and the narrowest 3 km. Thus, due to its immense size one can easily predict that this wadi, in its bed, might store large quantities of groundwater indispensable for life preservation in such an arid area.

In the geological past Wadi Howar was probably one of the most important tributaries of the Paleo Nile.

Answers to the main questions on hydrogeological problems of Wadi Howar and successful utilization of water in the area can be found by a carefully prepared programme of investigation. The key questions are the source of recharge and the elements of groundwater flow through the wadi.

Nowdays, having at our disposal all means of modern technology for groundwater investigation and implementation, it seems quite possible that the groundwater of Wadi Howar could be utilized for argicultural development. This presents an obvious opportunity for revitalizing the adjoining area preventing further desert expansion in this region as the ultimate goal of multilateral action.     

New designs of revetments for the earth slopes at the Zagorsk pumped-storage station

Conclusions  

Post-Impoundment Investigation of Gravity-Driven Irrigation Ponds in Central Bolivia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the viability of rain-fed farm ponds for sustaining agriculture in semi-arid, southeastern Cochabamba, Bolivia. Farm ponds store runoff from foothills in the study area, delivering it by gravity flow to lowlands. A typical pond has a 1,000 m³ storage capacity and serves four families. The ponds have become a common farming practice in the study area. They increase agricultural output by supplementing a sparse rainfall pattern. The ponds and complementary structures such as rock check dams have also alleviated soil erosion in the study area.     

Effect of Climate Change on Streamflows in the Mahanadi River Basin,India

ABSTRACT

In wet tropical regions, study of climate warming effects on water resources is important due to the socioeconomic and ecological implications. Observed changes in river flows of a major Indian river basin called the Mahanadi during the period 1926–1980 arepresented in relation to climatic changes that have occurred there. The Mahanadi River Basin is located in the monsoon region of India; its area is 141,600 km² and its mean annual flow is 66,640 million m³ . An earlier study by the author revealed that the surface air temperature over the basin has increased at a rate of 1.1 C° per century, which is highly significant However there has been no considerable change in the precipitation regime, though a slight decreasing trend is observed. In this article, an analysis of the trends in the runoff of the upper catchment and the whole catchment gauged at Hirakud and Naraj is presented. The results show a steady decrease in the river flows at these locations during the 55 year period of the study; this is significant statistically at the 1 per cent level. In order to increase confidence in this result, the moisture indices for the catchment have been computed and examined. Time series of these indices also show a clear declining trend during the period 1901–80. The main result obtained here is that climate warming that occurred over the basin, without being offset by an increase in precipitation (in fact a slight decrease in precipitation was observed), has resulted in a gradual decrease of river flows of the upper catchment as well as of the entire basin during the period 1926–1980. As a backdrop to future climate change scenarios over the Indian region, studies related to its impacts on water resources in the basin are important. However General Circulation Models (GCMs) at present are not capable of simulating adequately at regional and subregional scales. Nevertheless, it is hoped that recent efforts toward development of nested regional climate models may soon make it possible to have acceptable climate simulations for regions and subregions of this scale. The results of this article may be useful at that stage in hydrological forecasting studies for the basin.     

Factors Influencing Per Capita Water Consumption In Urban Areas Of Developing Countries And Their Implications For Management,With Special Reference To The Khartoum Metropolitan Area

ABSRTACT

The fast growing population in Third World countries and the limited physical resources in rural areas have led to the dramatic expansion of the urban areas of these countries. It is now recognized that when planning for the development of these areas, early consideration must be given to the difficulties and cost of providing potable water equitably to all users. Detailed studies are necessary for particular situations so as to provide a basis for better management practices.

Khartoum, a growing urban area in Sudan, has been chosen as a case study. A proposed framework and technique of analysis is shown. Factors influencingper capita consumption are correlated and mathematical models have been generated for the two distinct classifictions of consumers: (1) consumers with piped supply and (2) consumers obtaining water from water vendors or from standpipes (squatter settlements).

The most significant factors affecting the consumption appear in the fitted equations. Of these factors, the number of occupants in the household influences the per capita consumption but at a decreasing rate. Price has a significant impact on demand: price elasticities of about -0.60 and -0.78 are obtained for households with piped connections and squatter areas respectively. Water utility authorities can use price as a tool to ration or discourage water consumption in the piped connection households and to increase the rate of consumption in the squatter areas.     

IV World Congress on Water Resources,September 3–11, 1982, Argentina,on “Water for Human Consumption,Man and his Environment”

ABSTRACT

The major hydroclimatic cause of the 1993 Upper Mississippi River Basin flood was the persistence of heavy rains over a period of several months. As a result, precipitation totals for April-September 1993 were unprecedented, exceeding by a large margin any previous six-month precipitation total since 1895. Using standard hydrometeorological methods, the frequency of occurrence of these precipitation totals is expected to be less than once every 200 years. The core of the heavy rain area was located in Iowa and Missouri near the main stems of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Thus, runof from many of the heavy rain events was deposited directly into these main stems. The persistence of the heavy rains maintained high soil moisture levels throughout the summer period. Thus, the heavy rains during the summer were accompanied by very high runoff rates. Also, the frequent rains were accompanied by many cloudy days. Primarily for this reason (and to a lesser extent because of lower temperatures), potential evapotranspiration was considerably below the long-term average. This was a contributing factor to maintaining the high soil moisture levels and high runoff.