Finite difference method to design sustainable infiltration based stormwater management system
July 2019
Infiltration based stormwater best management practices bring considerable economic, social and ecological benefits. Controlling stormwater quantity and quality are primarily important to prevent urban flooding and minimizing loads of pollutants to the receiving waters. However, there have been growing concerns about how the traditional design approach contributes to the failure of infiltration based BMP’s that...
Evaluation of sand-dam water quality and its suitability for domestic use in arid and semi-arid environments: A case study of Kitui-West Sub-County, Kenya
June 2019
Sand dams are one of the most successful rainwater harvesting methods, adopted in most of arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of Kenya to secure domestic water supply and micro-irrigation. Their ability to maintain acceptable water quality, under extreme climatic conditions of recurrent drought and floods, is therefore of paramount public health concern as various pollutants find easily their way into them. This study...
Prototype of a control system for trickle irrigation systems considering distributors’ flow rate variation
May 2019
A prototype of a real-time closed loop automatic control system has been successfully developed to suit trickle irrigation systems management. The control system was designed to manage the irrigation system based on collecting data through soil moisture sensors located at three different locations acting each third of the lateral to put the effect of emitters’ flow rate variation along laterals on soil moisture...
Efficiency of empirical methods for reference evapotranspiration estimation in the district of Vilankulo, Mozambique
April 2019
Precise quantification of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is crucial for calculating crop water demand. Eight empirical methods based on temperature and six on solar radiation were evaluated against Penman-Monteith FAO 56 method based on: Mean Bias Error (MBE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Willmott coefficient (“d”), determination coefficient (R2) and the Student’s t-test. The meteorological data...
Design, fabrication and evaluation of bio-digester for generating bio-gas and bio-fertiliser for Auchi polytechnic demonstration farm
April 2019
A 4000 L bio-digester was designed and fabricated using 5 mm mild steel plate with the main purpose of generating biogas and bio-fertiliser for Auchi Polytechnic Demonstration Farm. To achieve this, a varying ratio of 1.155 m3: 2.310 m3 mixtures of cow dung and water were anaerobically digested in the batch digester. The experiment lasted for 33 days during which the quantity of gas generated were evaluated. The volume...
Comparative study of physico-chemical parameters with national and international standard and the insect community of Erelu Reservoir in Oyo town, Oyo State, Nigeria
March 2019
Assessment of water bodies is very crucial to determine its quality and proffer solution before it has an adverse impact on its biota and direct users of the water body. Insect communities and physico-chemical parameters in comparison with national and international criteria of Erelu Reservoir were investigated to determine their impacts on insect community of the reservoir. Water and insect macro-invertebrates sampling...
Detection of hydrological impacts of climate change in Benin by a multifractal approach
February 2019
This study analyzed the hydrological impacts of climate change over Bénin synoptic stations from 1951 to 2010 using multifractal approach. This method is based on the study of temporal evolution of fractal dimension (D_f), multifractality index (α), co-dimension (C_1) and probable maximum singularity (γ_s). The comparison of the average values of yearly fractal dimension ((D_f)) Ì… obtained over the...
Assessment of water resources management and past works on water points development in Borana Rangelands, Southern Oromia, Ethiopia
February 2019
Water is the principal resource for all living to prosper but a major limiting factor when mismanaged. The wide spread clearing of trees has caused soil erosion that is resulting silt accumulation in the reservoirs 40 to 50% /year. Purposive selection techniques have deployed for this study to gather information. Borana community has been managing water and pasture using its customary institutions called...
Preference for water boreholes to odor stream harnessing at Amaopkara
February 2019
The paper focuses on provision of sustainable portable water to Amaokpara community in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State, using “Decision Tree Analysis” which involves two options of water boreholes and odor stream harnessing. This is to achieve one of the key targets of millennium development goals by 2015, which is aimed at the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking...
Potential contaminant runoff from California’s dairy concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs): A geospatial analysis
January 2019
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) contain large quantities of dairy cows and therefore have the potential to contribute significant amounts of harmful waste products to the environment. Although previous studies have used geospatial tools to assess potential contaminant runoff, the results from these studies are dependent on the unique geographical characteristics of specific regions. This study...
Effect of first watering month on water requirement of sugarcane using CROPWAT Model in Finchaa Valley, Ethiopia
January 2019
This study investigates the optimum water requirements of Sugarcane planted in different months under rainfall and irrigation management, using CROPWAT model at Finchaa Valley in view of the importance of efficient water use as a key to grow crops and satisfy water demand. Analysis of soil physical properties was performed following the standard field and laboratories procedures and methods. The result of investigation...
Tannery wastewater treatment using two-stage anaerobic sequence batch reactor (ASBR) at mesophilic and thermophilic phase
January 2019
Industrialization has resulted in the formation of huge amount of waste products, which are released into the environment in the form of wastewater leading to environmental pollution and deterioration. Tannery effluent is among one of the dangerous pollutants of the industry. Most of the leather industries in Ethiopia discharge their effluent partially or without any treatment to the nearby water bodies. This creates a...
Performance evaluation and economic analysis of solar photo-voltaic water pumping systems: Case of Abakore borehole water supply system in Kenya
September 2018
A solar photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system was investigated to determine performance and economic viability. An in-built data logger was used to collect real time data on key performance parameters. Performance indicators were defined and determined, while economic viability was analyzed using life-cycle cost (LCC) method and these costs were compared with a diesel generator pumping system. Solar irradiance varied...
Evaluation of canal water conveyance and on-farm water application for a small-scale irrigation scheme in Ethiopia
September 2018
This study was conducted to identify and understand the current level of canal water conveyance and on-farm water application efficiency of Lemchek-Sewur small-scale irrigation scheme in Ethiopia. The water conveyance efficiency of canals was determined by estimating discharge at different segments. On-farm water application efficiency was evaluated from the amount of water actually applied and from soil moisture...
Quantifying the impact of integrated watershed management on groundwater availability in Gerduba watershed, Yabello district, Ethiopia
August 2018
Integrated watershed management has a positive impact on groundwater balance. However, most parts of the study area particularly, Borana is the one which is suffering from severe rangeland degradation. Among others, heavy grazing, bush encroachment, gully expansion, topsoil fertility loss, sedimentation and less adequate water availability account for the greatest noticeable rangeland degradation phenomena. Due to...
The effect of variation of dimensions of solar reflectors on solar enhanced model pond
August 2018
Waste water stabilization pond is a simple way of treating waste water but one of its limitations is that it requires large area of land to be efficient. This study employed the use of solar reflectors to improve the efficiency of waste water stabilization pond by investigating the effect of variation of solar reflectors on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the pond. To achieve this, three model ponds...
Towards equity in water pricing in small water systems: An Alberta case study
July 2018
Small water systems have water technology that has a higher cost structure than those of large cities. Consequently they cannot enjoy “comparable” consumption patterns. It is shown that full cost pricing is not compatible with achieving equity for small system residents and marginal cost pricing would not cover the capital costs. Therefore, provinces could seek legal recourse for higher federal transfers,...
Effect of climate variability on the yield of crops in Ondo State, Nigeria
June 2018
Climate change influences crop yield vis-à-vis crop production to a greater extent in countries like Nigeria where agriculture depends largely on natural circumstances. This study assesses the effect of observed climatic variables (rainfall, temperature and relative humidity) on yield of major crops which are divided into two groups, tuber crops (cassava and yam) and fruits (pepper and tomatoes) in Ondo State...
Wastewater treatment strategies of selected Zimbabwean food industries
May 2018
This survey aimed at identifying the current practices and experiences of industrial wastewater treatment in Zimbabwe. In this study, questionnaires were used to assess various companies located in Gweru Kwekwe, Bulawayo and Harare. The information collected identified a gap in the treatment of wastewater from food processing industries in Zimbabwe. Current results indicate that about 86% of the food processing...
Reference evapotranspiration in São Paulo State: Empirical methods and machine learning techniques
May 2018
Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is a key factor for water management and irrigation scheduling. In this paper, eight empirical methods, including four temperature-based (Benevides-Lopez, Hamon, Blaney-Criddle Original and Hargreaves-Samani: HS), four radiation-based (Abtew: AB, Jensen and Haise, Makkink and Irmak) and machine learning techniques (MLT) were tested against Penman Monteith FAO 56 method. The MLT...
Quantification of water balance using a lysimeter in Mexico
April 2018
Under conditions of high pressure on water resources, it is essential to quantify the water balance. There are tools to perform the water balance, but unfortunately, they are expensive and hardly accessible in developing countries. The objective of this study was to quantify the water balance using a low-cost lysimeter (LCL). Rainfall was measured using rain gauge. Soil water content (SWC) and infiltration were...
Evaluation of bacteriological and physicochemical quality of water supply systems in Welkite Town, Southwest-Ethiopia
February 2018
Water supply systems provide consumers with drinking water that is adequately free of microbial pathogens to prevent waterborne diseases. The key to produce water of such desired quality is to implement multiple barriers, which control microbiological pathogens and chemical contaminants that may enter the water supply system. The objective of this study was to evaluate bacteriological and physicochemical quality of...
Quality of groundwater in Valikamam area, Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka
February 2018
The Jaffna Peninsula depends largely on groundwater resources for domestic as well as agricultural purposes. On several instances, it was pointed out that the groundwater is deteriorating due to overuse and is polluted by excessive usage of agrochemical, fertilizers, waste oil and improper sewage disposal. Hence, an experimental study was undertaken to assess the analysis of groundwater quality. To achieve this, water...
Evaluating the use of hot spring for agricultural process in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
January 2018
This is an exploratory research aimed at examining the use of hot spring as a renewable energy source to replace conventional electrical energy for suitable agricultural process in the Los Baňos area, Laguna, Philippines. Here, a potential site was selected by analyzing data of the temperature, relative humidity and hot spring temperature. Preliminary results revealed that average air temperature, relative humidity and...
Water supply and demand scenario of Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia
December 2017
Access to and use of safe drinking water can contribute enormously to health, productivity and social development. This study was conducted to assess the existing water supply and demand scenario of Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia. To achieve the objective of the study, a total of 187 households were randomly selected and interviewed by using semi structured questionnaire. To collect the required data, interview schedule,...
Assessment of irrigation water quality of lowlands in the Bale Zone, South Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia
December 2017
Water quality concerns have been very crucial because good quality water supplies in abundance and readily available for production and productivity is of great importance. Therefore, the study was conducted to assess irrigation water quality of the lowlands of Delo Menna and Berbere districts. The samples were collected from the upstream and downstream of the canals along the farms of the districts during the medium...
Hydraulic performance assessment of Tahtay Tsalit small scale irrigation scheme, Tigray, Ethiopia
November 2017
Assessment of irrigation performances is very essential while planning and chalking out management strategies for various irrigation. However, in Ethiopia, especially Tigray, performance evaluation of irrigation schemes is rarely conducted. The performance of Tahtay Tsalit irrigation scheme was not assessed yet and hence, this research was undertaken to assess the hydraulic performance of the irrigation scheme. The...
Evaluating water quality of Awash River using water quality index
November 2017
Awash river has been impaired by various types of pollution owing to waste released from different socio-economic activities in its basin. This research was aimed at evaluating its quality status with respect to drinking and irrigation water uses. Based on accessibility and land use severity, 23 sample sites were chosen along the river and sampling was done twice in each of the dry and wet seasons. Thereafter, both...
Application of density-dependant finite element model for studying seawater intrusion in coastal aquifer of Ras El-Hekma, Northwestern Coast, Egypt
November 2017
A numerical model of variable-density groundwater flow and miscible salt transport is applied to investigate the extent of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifer of Ras El-Hekma, northwestern coast, Egypt. The SEAWAT 2000 code is used to solve the density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport governing equations. Seventeen groundwater samples were collected in 2015 for routine chemical analysis and water level...
Contribution to knowledge of the Lakes of Ounianga by bathymetry and physicochemistry
October 2017
This work aimed to contribute to knowledge improvement of the great Lake ecosystems of Chad, precisely that of the Lakes of Ounianga using bathymetric statements on water levels and the in situ analysis of physicochemical parameters of the lake’s waters. Bathymetric surveys facilitated characterization of the morphology of the bottom of the lakes with depths that vary from 0 to -27 m and 0 to -5.7 m for Yoan and...
Seasonal rainfall and crop productivity in South West Ethiopia: Preliminary analysis for recent climate
October 2017
Rainfall is the most important element that limits the productivity of crops. Proper analysis of rainfall trend and understanding of its relationship with land productivity may help in planning purposes. Accordingly, a study was conducted to assess the statistical behavior of monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall in south west Ethiopia (Arba Minch). Furthermore, correlation statistics was employed to explain the...
Assessment of groundwater suitability for irrigation in three sub catchments in Upper Athi River Basin, Kenya
September 2017
Over the years, erratic rainfall pattern coupled with increasing population has led to the reliance on groundwater as an alternative and sustainable source for crop irrigation to meet increasing food demand. Irrigation of crops though essential, if not done with care through good practices and use of quality water can lead to soil salinization and ecological unsustainability. This study was carried out to assess the...
Application of stochastic models in predicting Lake Malawi water levels
September 2017
Stochastic models have proven to be practically fundamental in fields such as science, economics, and business, among others. In Malawi, stochastic models have been used in fisheries to forecast fish catches. Nevertheless, forecasting water levels in major lakes and rivers in Malawi has been given little attention despite the availability of ample historical data. Although previous multichannel seismic surveys revealed...
Analysis of spatial and temporal drought variability in a tropical river basin using Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)
August 2017
Analysis of spatial and temporal drought variability in the upper Tana River basin using Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) was conducted. The drought is critical for formulation of mitigation measures in the river basin. A monthly temporal and 90-m spatial resolution was applied. This was achieved within ArcGIS environment. Climatic data for 1970 to 2010 was used for computation of the PDSI while the missing data...
Evaluation of empirical models for estimating reference-evapotranspiration (RET-ET) in humid semi-hot equatorial coastal climate
August 2017
The performances of five empirical models, namely: Hargreaves-Samani, Makkink1 (1957), Makkink2 (1984), Priestley-Taylor and FAO 56-PM in estimating reference evapotranspiration (REF-ET) were separately compared with Epan data and FAO 56-PM, respectively. Based on statistical analysis, Hargreaves-Samani method compared best with daily and monthly Epan data, while Makkik2 (1984) ranked first with FAO 56-PM. In terms of...
Applications of soft tools to solve hydrological problems for an integrated Indian catchment
July 2017
Emergence of a hydrological forecasting model based on past records is crucial in solution of problem. In water resource and hydrology, to build the estimation model based upon the hydrological records, generally requires traditional time series analysis and modelling. Estimation can be done either by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, or by some traditional methods. The present work uses two data driven...
Assessment of Assela Town municipality waste water discharge effect on the chemical and bacteriological water pollution load of Anko River
July 2017
Assela, one of the developing towns in the south eastern central zone of Ethiopia, is located 175 km away from the Capital City of Addis Ababa. Anko River divides the town into two separate parts. In rural areas, water from Anko River is used for drinking and sanitation purposes. However, sewage from residential areas and Assela Hospital directly enters the river, affecting its quality. The objective was to determine...
Hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater in Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti Southwestern Nigeria
July 2017
Groundwater composition can be altered significantly due to geogenic and anthropogenic inputs from bedrocks and human activities respectively. Such impacted water may be injurious to health if consumed. Water quality depends on the physical, chemical and bacteriological composition of water. Hydrochemical assessment of groundwater within Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) and its adjoining environments was undertaken with...
Irrigation water quality of River Kulfo and its implication in irrigated agriculture, South West Ethiopia
June 2017
Irrigation is a common agricultural practice for farmers in the periphery of flowing rivers in Ethiopia. In the south west Ethiopia, fruits and vegetables are majorly produced under irrigation where the mode of irrigation is by pumping water from flowing rivers. Irrigated agriculture has only been linked to the availability of water in physical terms, while the quality of water is significantly important for sustainable...
Risk assessment of cyanobacteria-toxins for small drinking water treatment plants with lake water intakes
June 2017
Recent increases in the frequency and severity of toxic algae blooms in freshwater lakes has been a major concern for small communities that rely on them for drinking water supply. A hazard quotient approach to risk characterization is employed to analyze the effectiveness of five conventional treatment methods for removal of cyanotoxins. The application of the method for risk assessment and mitigation is demonstrated...
Rainfall-runoff relation and runoff estimation for Holetta River, Awash subbasin, Ethiopia using SWAT model
May 2017
The hydrology of Holetta River and its seasonal variability is not fully studied. In addition to this, due to scarcity of the available surface water and increase in water demand for irrigation, the major users of the river are facing a problem of allocating the available water. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the water availability of Holetta River using Geographical Information Systems (GIS)...
Evaluation of water supply and demand: The case of Shambu town, Western Oromia, Ethiopia
May 2017
Shambu town has faced a problem of potable water supply, still large number of people did not have access to adequate amount of potable water and frequent water interruption is a common problem. The objective of this research was to evaluate the existing water pressure map and water demand. To achieve this goal, the following input data were collected, base population, growth rate, and pressure map of the area,...
Characterization of Beles River Basin of Blue Nile sub-Basin in North-Western Ethiopia using Arc-Hydro tools in Arc-GIS
May 2017
Ethiopia is constantly affected by shortage of water for rain-fed agriculture, mainly because of lack of proper water resources utilization and management practices. For the efficient use of available surface water resources with balanced attention to maximize economic, social, and environmental benefits, it is necessary to have effective integrated water resources assessments and planning. Beles River Basin is one of...
Impact of climate change on Lake Chamo Water Balance, Ethiopia
April 2017
One of the most significant potential concerns of climate change is to understand changes in hydrological components and subsequent change in lakes water balance. In view of this study, the water balance components such as surface water inflow from gauged and ungauged sub-watersheds, precipitation and evaporation pattern of the natural reservoir and their associated impacts vis-à-vis altering the water balance of...
Geostatistical study of the spatial variability of groundwater parameters in Afikpo and Ohaozara, Southeastern Nigeria
April 2017
Abortive boreholes and parched wells, ascribed to the difficulty in understanding the hydrogeology of the aquifer by water borehole drillers, pose great concern to the people of the region. Mapping the spatial variability of water table depth (WTD) (m) and aquifer thickness H (m) is a vital step in optimal utilization of groundwater resources. Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate the spatial variability of the...
Review on distribution, importance, threats and consequences of wetland degradation in Ethiopia
March 2017
Wetlands are the ecosystems that are found on the interface between land and water. It is also areas of marsh, ponds and swamps, whether natural or artiï¬cial, permanent or temporary, with water, that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salty, including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide, does not exceed six meters. Although, wetlands by nature are dynamic ecosystems, anthropogenic activities...
Review on participatory small-scale irrigation schemes and small-scale rainwater harvesting technology development and its contribution to household food security in Ethiopia
March 2017
This review aims to compile the past, present and future trends of participatory small-scale irrigation schemes (PSSIS) and small-scale rainwater harvesting technology (SSRWHT) development to ensure household food security in Ethiopia. It discusses the Ethiopian PSSIS and SSRWHT development based on the historical backgrounds, current conditions of development and its contributions to the national economy, challenges...
Assessing the groundwater vulnerability in the upper aquifers of Zarqa River Basin, Jordan using DRASTIC, SINTACS and GOD methods
February 2017
Groundwater vulnerability is an overlay method that is used to determine the ability of pollutants to penetrate the aquifer and harming it. This method helps decision makers by highlighting expected areas to be polluted. In Jordan, groundwater is the main water resource the country uses to match its demand. The groundwater basins in Jordan are divided into 12 major basins; some are rechargeable and others are fossil....
Status of wetlands valleyed in a hilly region of North East India - A review
February 2017
A key to future sustenance of human societies lies in the sustainable management and wise use of Wetlands. Wetlands are frequently referred to as Kidneys of Landscape; are amongst the most productive ecosystems on the earth and any alterations might lead to changes in their bio-physical, socio-economic and climatic conditions. Due to various factors like rapid urbanization, industrialization and agricultural activities;...
Evidence based review of Legionella elimination in building water systems
January 2017
Legionnaires disease can be acquired through exposure to Legionella pneumophila, a gram-negative bacteria ubiquitous in both natural and engineered water systems. Over the years, a number of disinfection techniques notably, chlorination, ozonation, thermal, UV and copper-silver ionization have been employed across different kinds of engineered water systems with diverse measures of success. Available evidence portends,...
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