by Rahel Hamad
Original Research
The morphometric analysis of a drainage system is necessary in understanding the hydrological behavior of the watersheds. Agricultural development, through the investigations of the watersheds by using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques can be a dynamic contributor to the economy and growth of the Kurdistan Region (KRG) that on long run can enhance the political and economic stability. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) was used to prepare Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for evaluation of morphometric components. Various aspects such as linear, areal, and relief morphometric parameters were calculated using hydrological tool and slope-aspect in ArcGIS. The current study shows that the integration of RS and GIS is an effective approach for analyzing the morphometric pattern and land use change. Future investigation will focus broaden over all sub-watersheds of the current study giving more importance to land use in the watersheds.
American Journal of Water Resources. 2020, 8(1), 38-47. DOI: 10.12691/ajwr-8-1-5
Pub. Date: February 09, 2020
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by Chaim Vivien Doto, Dial Niang, Malicki Zorom and Hamma Yacouba
Original Research
This study aimed at characterizing dry spells and their potential impact in corn rainfed agriculture in the Burkinabe Sahel in order to help managers of rural environments to better plan the corn growing season in this area characterized by high climatic variability. This characterization was made possible through a typology of intra-dekadal dry spells and an inter-dekadal analysis of dry spells with the first-order Markov chains, allowed proposing a mitigation alternative of the effect of dry spells on corn growing. Results showed that climatic risk which arises for rainfed corn production is reduced if sowing was done in the third 10-day period (or dekad) of June. This is justified by the fact that the probability of having two consecutively dry dekads during the most sensitive periods to water stress (i.e the mid-season) was less than 20% while it was over 30% for two consecutively wet dekads. However, because of the increased potential impact of the dry spells longer than 7 days during the mid-season, the coupling of this sowing scenario to supplemental irrigation would be the robust alternative adaptation to climate variability in the Burkinabe Sahel. Nevertheless, subsequent studies can be carried out to quantify this potential impact of dry spells on corn under rainfed farming.
American Journal of Water Resources. 2020, 8(1), 31-37. DOI: 10.12691/ajwr-8-1-4
Pub. Date: February 03, 2020
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by Yosef Abebe Yimer and Li Jin
Original Research
Untreated discharge from industries, domestic wastes, flower farms, and irrigation runoff are among the major sources of pollution in Awash River (AR). Increasing of unregulated lake water discharge is another indication of water degradation in the AR. The objectives of the study were to better understand the discharge of Lake Beseka (LB) and its impact downstream on the water quality of Awash River (AR). 480 samples were collected from 2008 to 2017 and analyzed for more than 20 parameters; TDS, EC, pH, alkalinity, chloride, bicarbonates, carbonates and likes at four sampling stations. Results showed that the water quality of the AR downstream of the Lake has shown a decreasing trend from 2013 to 2017. The quality of the river water becomes deteriorates due to the release of an unregulated Lake water into the AR. The annual mixing ratios of the lake water with the AR were 6.67%, 13.98%, 45.83%, 27.67%, and 18.73% from 2013 to 2017. Thus, it is essential to installing and implementing adequate and affordable technologies to regulate and quantify amount of flow into the AR from the Lake. If the Lake water continuously drains at its current rate, it would be difficult to control its water quality deteriorating effect and will make environmental disasters in water and soil salinity problematic downstream of the lake human habitats and the Amibera Irrigation Farms.
American Journal of Water Resources. 2020, 8(1), 21-30. DOI: 10.12691/ajwr-8-1-3
Pub. Date:
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by Meshach Owho Ojile
Original Research
A Development Needs Assessment study carried out in Ogoniland found availability of social infrastructures, including those of potable drinking water inadequate; barely a quarter sources water from functional community boreholes. The source of water for majority of the resident population are varied but susceptible to contamination; shallow hand-dug wells, ponds, isolated freshwater streams with few private boreholes. The Kpite-Tai community, one of several communities in Ogoniland exemplifies this lack and dependence on irregular source of water. A detailed development-driven study geared towards providing a sustainable water project for the population, using a group of communities was commissioned. The study mandate included among others: determining reliable estimate of community’s population, the population density of the area, availability and access to potable water infrastructure (source(s), accessibility, distance to water source, the quantity used by households, for what purposes/uses, and most recent water intervention in community and from which agency/organization). Both the qualitative and quantitative socio-economic data collection approaches were utilized involving rapid appraisal methodologies. The paper presents some aspects of the results of the study.
American Journal of Water Resources. 2020, 8(1), 12-20. DOI: 10.12691/ajwr-8-1-2
Pub. Date: December 13, 2019
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by Abdoul Aziz GNING, Mansour GUEYE, Fatou NGOM DIOP and Raymond MALOU
Original Research
Located in the north-west of Senegal, the Senegal River Delta (DFS) is a strategic region for the development of irrigated agriculture. Thus, with agricultural intensification, we are witnessing a salinization of the alluvial groundwater that could even lead to a degradation of the cultivated soils. The main objective of this study is to carry out a hydro-geo-chemical characterization of the alluvial groundwater and to discriminate between the different processes responsible for the mineralization of these waters in order to provide a model for acquiring the chemical composition of waters. To this end, two sampling campaigns were carried out, one in June 2011 during the dry season and another in December 2012. During these campaigns, 12 piezometers and 17 micro-piezometers were sampled. The river waters as well as the drainage waters were sampled. The results allowed a geochemical characterization of the waters of the DFS surface water table. Two groups of waters are individualized. These are fresh waters (rainwater and river water) of bicarbonate calcium facies (HCO33-Ca) and salt waters (seawater and drainage water from irrigated areas) of chlorinated sodium facies (Na-Cl). The study of the origin of the mineralization showed that the dominant elements (Na and Cl) derive mainly from the old contamination of seawater. Their concentration under high evaporation explains their evolution towards brines. Marine pollution is the main factor in the acquisition of mineralization. The dissolution of minerals such as gypsum, calcite and to a lower extent dolomite contributes to the mineralization of water. These phenomena, as well as the basic exchanges, then constitute the evolutive factors of the chemical composition of the alluvial groundwater.
American Journal of Water Resources. 2020, 8(1), 1-11. DOI: 10.12691/ajwr-8-1-1
Pub. Date: December 11, 2019
11376 Views1653 Downloads