Material flow analysis and integration of watersheds and drainage systems: I. Simulation and application to ammonium management in Bahr El-Baqar drainage system

This paper is aimed at developing a systematic and generally applicable methodology for material flow analysis in drainage systems and watersheds. In particular, this research has focused on developing a mathematical framework and application for the management of nitrogenous species (primarily ammonium ions). Nitrogen compounds are among the most important species contributing to ecological cycles. Indeed, the environmental and biological aspects of water systems and their surrounding systems are highly impacted by nitrogen compounds as they contribute to the quality, nutrition, and toxicity of these systems. A material flow model was developed to deal primarily with the water phase while including pertinent information on the solid and air phases as they interface with the water medium. Both spatial and discrete temporal dimensions were included to account for nitrogen flow and transformation. The model includes the various environmental phenomena that influence the fate and transport of targeted species (e.g., volatilization, precipitation, sedimentation, uptake by biota, adsorption, chemical and biochemical reactions, etc.). Furthermore, the model includes material flow analysis operators (or transfer functions) that characterize the system inputs and outputs as they relate to the surroundings. The aforementioned material flow analysis tools were combined in a computer-aided modeling platform to provide a complete material flow analysis and yield useful insights on the transport and fate of targeted species. The simulation results shed light on the system performance. Actual data for an Egyptian drainage system (Bahr El-Baqar) along with the outfall to Lake Manzala were used to illustrate the usefulness and applicability of the developed model. Comparison with the measured data confirmed the validity and fidelity of the model.