Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'River water'

Yes
This paper focuses on the dispute over river Cauvery in Southern India. Among the causes of river water disputes are contested property rights, difficulty in enforcing such rights, conflict of uses and a lack of willingness to compromise. A co-operative outcome in such cases depends on several factors: asymmetry of power in a triadic relationship between a federal government and two riparian states (one upstream and one downstream). Other factors influencing co-operation are the extent to which the claims of river waters can be elevated from those of immediate riparian peoples to those of an entire state; the dominance of a masculine paradigm towards 'taming' river waters using 'hard' investments rather than 'soft' and decentralised alternatives. On the basis of district level data, the importance of river Cauvery to the hydrology, economy and polity of the two contesting states is examined. This analysis helps us to appreciate why the two riparian state governments have limited room to manouvre. Drawing from two brief case studies of Murray Darling Basin and recent litigation in the USA, and other international experiences of river water treaties, the paper identifies various implications for the resolution of Cauvery and other river water disputes.

Thesis (M.Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 56).
The purpose of this thesis is to link water, history and culture through architectural and urban design by researching the potential for the rejuvenation of a neglected industrial site at the edge of a river. The Malden River in Massachusetts, one of the most polluted rivers in the Boston Harbor Watershed, was utilized by heavy industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the purposes of power generation, shipping and waste removal. As the advent of modern urban systems for drainage and transport replaced the river's traditional roles, the waterfront has fallen into disuse and has become a classic post-industrial landscape. It is abandoned and contaminated, surrounded by old industrial buildings and warehouses and is more commonly known as a "brownfield." In order to re-evaluate the relationship between water and contemporary urban culture, this thesis explores the creation of a metaphorical "source" for the river so as to establish a new and fundamental bond between the architecture and the site. The source is of critical importance due to symbolic issues of quality, origin, and renewal. The selected site, sandwiched between the towns of Medford and Everett, is chosen to celebrate and demarcate the origin of the river, and second to rejuvenate the water front and surrounding industrial landscape, which is overgrown and polluted. These intentions are accomplished using two scales of design intervention. At one scale(the urban scale), water filtration technologies such as slow sand filtration and landscape design are brought together to create a civic space that creates a symbolic "source" for the river and celebrates its renewal. At a smaller scale, architectural interventions include a series of programs that will help develop a community awareness of the delicate relationship between culture and water. This program includes: a water research center, research library, auditorium, gallery, studio, observation tower, teahouse, restaurant and café. These programmatic aspects serve to generate activity that will bring life to the site and surrounding communities.
by Kazuyo Oda.
M.Arch.

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The disorderly growth of the capital of PiauÃ, marked mainly by housing occupancy on the banks of river Poti and the existence of clandestine connections of raw sewage in rainwater drainage pipes, has contributed significantly to the pollution of the waters of the river basin of the ParnaÃba River (semiarid region Brazil). This research consists of making water quality measuring campaigns in Poti river and sewage released that, via gallery rainwater, focusing on a river stretch of 36.8 km long, located in the city of Teresina / PI, as well as mathematical modeling of water quality of the river based on WHAT-UFMG platform. The research is presented as the first study involving modeling of water quality in a water body of the state of PiauÃ. Modeled components were: dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and thermotolerant coliform (TC). The results of field measurements indicated TC parameter discontinuities with respect to CONAMA Resolution n 357/2005. The calibration of the decay coefficients for each parameter resulting in deviations between measured and modeled data of up to 20%, which shows that the QUALUFMG can be used as a basis for predicting the quality of water in rivers located in semiarid regions. The calibrated model was also compared to field data from the literature. Finally, simulations were performed for different flow scenarios (Q10, Q90 and Q7,10), with consistent results and that can be used for the management of water resources in the state of PiauÃ.
O crescimento desordenado da capital piauiense, marcado sobretudo pela ocupaÃÃo habitacional Ãs margens do rio Poti e pela existÃncia de ligaÃÃes clandestinas de esgoto bruto nas tubulaÃÃes de drenagem pluvial, tem contribuÃdo significativamente para a poluiÃÃo das Ãguas da bacia hidrogrÃfica do rio ParnaÃba (regiÃo semiÃrida do Brasil). A presente pesquisa consiste na realizaÃÃo de campanhas de mediÃÃo da qualidade da Ãgua no rio Poti e dos esgotos lanÃados no mesmo, via galeria de Ãguas pluviais, com foco em um trecho do rio de 36,8 km de extensÃo, localizado na cidade de Teresina/PI, bem como na modelagem matemÃtica da qualidade da Ãgua deste rio com base na plataforma QUAL-UFMG. A pesquisa apresenta-se como o primeiro estudo envolvendo modelagem da qualidade da Ãgua em um corpo hÃdrico do estado do PiauÃ. Os componentes modelados foram: oxigÃnio dissolvido (OD), demanda bioquÃmica de oxigÃnio (DBO) e coliformes termotolerantes (CT). Os resultados das mediÃÃes de campo indicaram desconformidades do parÃmetro CT com relaÃÃo à ResoluÃÃo CONAMA n 357/2005. A calibraÃÃo dos coeficientes de decaimento para cada parÃmetro resultou em desvios entre dados medidos e modelados de atà 20%, o que mostra que o QUAL-UFMG pode ser utilizado como base para prediÃÃo da qualidade da Ãgua em rios localizados em regiÃes semiÃridas. O modelo calibrado tambÃm foi comparado a dados de campo obtidos na literatura. Finalmente, foram realizadas simulaÃÃes para diferentes cenÃrios de vazÃo (Q10, Q90 e Q7,10), apresentando resultados coerentes e que podem ser utilizados para a gestÃo dos recursos hÃdricos do estado do PiauÃ.

Efforts to abate Willamette River pollution between 1926 and 1962 centered on a struggle between abatement advocates and the two primary polluters in the watershed, the City of Portland and the pulp and paper industry. Throughout the twentieth century, the Willamette was by far the most heavily populated and industrialized watershed in Oregon. Like many other of the world's rivers, the Willamette was an integral part of municipal and industrial waste removal systems. As such, the main stem of the river carried the combined wastes from sewage outfalls serving hundreds of thousands of people and millions of gallons daily of pulp and paper making effluents. Exacerbating the impacts of these pollutants on the Willamette were unavoidable geologic and hydrologic constraints impacting the river's flow and, therefore, the river's ability to dilute wastes. As the pollution load in the Willamette River increased throughout the twentieth century, accustomed activities such as recreation, sports fishing, and commercial fishing, were constrained. The polluted water also threatened potential uses of the river, such as tourism and expanded recreation after World War II. To address these concerns, beginning in 1926 clean streams advocates created ad hoc groups of public health experts, sanitary engineers, conservationists, sportsmen, and others to pressure Portland officials and industry representatives to cease polluting the river. In November 1938, continued activism and lobbying from these groups led to the passage of a citizen's initiative creating the Oregon State Sanitary Authority (OSSA). From 1939 to 1962, the OSSA took the lead in the water pollution abatement issue and realized some limited successes including pushing Portland and other cities to build sewage treatment plants and regulating pulp and paper mill discharges. However, in spite of these accomplishments, the issue of water quality grew more complex and difficult through the 1950s, as reflected in Tom McCall's November 1962 television documentary Pollution in Paradise.

5 pp.
As one of Arizona’s principal surface water systems, the Gila River has and will continue to be a valuable and highly sought after water source. The river, its tributaries, and underlying groundwater reserves have enabled a robust farming, ranching, and mining heritage, while providing a rich and diverse riparian landscape in an arid region. However, as much as these water resources have shaped the history of the watershed, a variety of legal, economic, and climatic uncertainties will undoubtedly – and potentially drastically – influence future water supplies. An understanding of the area’s water limits and a broad-based effort to more efficiently manage water usage are critically needed to cope with these uncertainties and maintain a secure water supply to support community health and preserve the rural lifestyle so central to the region. This document summarizes the legal system for water in the Upper Gila Watershed and a conceptual water budget analysis to quantify the region’s available supply, relative to current and projected future demand.

Water quality problems related to excessive algal growth, high nutrient loading, and low flows have been occurring along Oregon's Tualatin River. The Tualatin River is 86 miles long and has a drainage basin of 711 square miles. The drainage basin incorporates forest, agricultural, and urban areas. Located in the Portland metropolitan area, these problems have been acerbated by the effects of urban growth. To help analyze pollution control alternatives, a river model study, funded by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ}, was undertaken. An in-stream model of hydraulics and water quality was developed. The Corps of Engineer's CE-QUAL-W2 model, a twodimensional, laterally averaged, dynamic model of hydrodynamics and water quality was applied to the Tualatin system. Calibration of the main pool model of the Tualatin River was from field data taken during June through August of 1991. Verification of the model was performed from field data taken during the summer of 1990. After calibration and verification of the model, management alternatives were evaluated in order to achieve DEQ mandated water quality standards. Environmental performance criteria were determined to evaluate differences between model scenarios. Management alternatives focused on the reduction of point and non-point sources of pollution, flow augmentation, and structural changes in the river system, such as removal of the Lake Oswego Diversion Dam.

Automatic river quality monitoring (ARQM) is potentially an important tool in water quality management for the National Rivers Authority (NRA) and similar organisations worldwide. The information produced by ARQM systems must be used in the most effective way and fully integrated with the manual monitoring effort. The status and development of ARQM systems in the freshwater and estuarine River Thames catchment are discussed and a practical appraisal of the design, operation and maintenance requirements given. Data capture, verification and presentation methods are developed and the use of ARQM data for real time management and subsequent analysis is advocated. Examples of data from the freshwater ARQM system are given which emphasise the variability of freshwater quality and the need for a comprehensive understanding of the behaviour of rivers before management decisions are made. The use of ARQM data for assessing the compliance of rivers with River Quality Objectives is examined. With respect to the tidal Thames, data processing methods to correct for the tidal movement of the waterbody are developed. ARQM data are used to highlight the principal factors affecting the water quality of the tidal Thames. The importance of the use of ARQM information in the effective management of the tidal Thames is discussed and operational examples demonstrate how it may be utilised as a basis for management decisions. The application of ARQM to the sub-tropical environment of the River Ganges, India, is investigated. An ARQM system has been designed and prototypes are operational. Extensive site surveys were carried out and the water quality status of the Ganges is discussed. Recommendations for the improvement and future development of ARQM systems are made. The use of ARQM information and its potential for improving the management of rivers is discussed.

Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 27, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The River Medlock is a small (22km) urbanised river, and is one of the five main tributaries which forms part of the River Irwell Catchment in Greater Manchester, UK. The river has a legacy of pollution from the 18th century and continues to be affected by anthropogenic factors including point source pollution from waste water treatment works (WwTWs) and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). In order to investigate the impact of CSOs and the WwTWs on the river hydrology, water quality and ecology of the lower largely urbanised reach, data sets were obtained from the Environment Agency and from direct sampling of the river. Load estimations from continuous discharge records from the river's gauging station plus estimates of sub-catchment area indicate the lower sites, classified as a "highly modified water body" and downstream of treatment works had had a higher load of discharge and phosphate-P linked to point sources and episodic discharges. Short term, continuous monitoring revealed that CSOs were active during high velocity, but increased concentrations of nutrients post high velocity indicate WwTW effects and possibly diffuse sources. This project reveals that the WwTW are a major source of phosphate-P and that the impact of CSOs on the river quality is short-lived and depends on the degree of precipitation. Other parameters indicate good water quality although the benthic macroinvertebrate community is degraded as a result of episodic increases in the quantity of water destabilising the river bed. Therefore, pollution from the CSOs, the WwTW and rapid changes in discharge are the reasons for the river's failure to conform to EU's requirements of the Water Framework Directive.

This research addresses the mechanistic behaviour of urban catchments, particularly under the effects of rainfall, using the case study of the River Tame in West Midlands. The catchment response in wet weather is dominated by combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges into the river, causing water quality deterioration. Severe dissolved oxygen depletions often occur resulting in exceedence of fundamental intermittent standards; high ammonia values are also induced but un-ionised ammonia is constrained by the prevailing neutral pH. The five most dominant responses of ammonia to rainfall are identified based on antecedent dry period, the magnitude and timing of ammonia peaks, the initial rainfall intensity gradient and the patterns of rainfall intensity. Field studies support data analysis of the historic database and establish a temporal picture of BOD during storms. Simulation of river flow and water quality in low flow and storm conditions is achieved by employing MIKE 11, a deterministic mathematical model, with variable fidelity due to temporal and spatial variability of inputs. The model is tested as part of a decision support system for river water quality management. Simulations of various management schemes indicate that real time CSO control and on-line storage cannot guarantee water quality improvements and that on-line storage can be useful in combating excessively high pollutant concentrations.

The energy-food-water nexus is of fundamental significance in the goal towards sustainable development. The Zambezi River Basin, situated in southern Africa, currently offers vast water resources for social and economic development for the eight riparian countries that constitute the watershed. Hydropower generation and agriculture are the main water users in the watershed with great potential of expansion, plus urban water supply materialise the largest consumers of this resource. Climate and social changes are pressuring natural resources availability which might show severe alterations due to enhances in the variability of precipitation patterns. This study thus examines the present water resources in the transboundary basin and executes low and high case future climate change incited scenarios in order to estimate the possible availability of water for the period 2060-2099 by performing water balances. Along with projections of water accessibility, approximations on water demands from the main consumer sectors are performed. Results show an annual positive balance for both projected scenarios due to an increase in precipitation during the wet season. They also present a severe increase in overall temperature for the region contributing to a strong increase in evapotranspiration. Projections further inform of an acute increase in water demand for irrigation and urban supply, nevertheless, evaporation from hydropower storage reservoirs continues to exceed water with drawals in volume. Acknowledging the uncertainty contained in this report allows a broader offer of recommendations to be considered when planning for future developments with a sustainable approach. Improvement of hydrological collection systems in the Zambezi basin is indispensable to accomplish a deeper and cohesive understanding of the watershed waterresources. Cooperation and knowledge communication between riparian countries seems to be the right beginning towards social and economic sustainable development for the Zambezi River Basin.

Price has been noted to be an important ingredient in any evaluation of future water demands, since it is a signal of cost administered by water wholesalers or retailers. The purpose of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of rates and ratesetting strategies adopted by the river authorities of Texas, and the relevance of economic efficiency for wholesale purveyors of water. Methods employed to accomplish the objectives include collecting sample water supply contracts, surveying rate structures, and surveying authorities' rate-setting objectives. In its current form the economic theory of pricing emphasizes price establishment by retail water suppliers. There are certain distinctions between wholesale suppliers and retail distributors of water that question the adequacy of the existing theory in its universal application. This calls for a different theory of pricing for wholesale suppliers of water. Therefore, an efficiency-seeking pricing theory for wholesale water purveyors is explored here. Out of the fifteen existing river authorities in Texas, ten have wholesale supply operations. This study finds that out of the ten authorities that have wholesale operations, some authorities charge the same uniform rate to all their customers, while some charge a different rate to each of their customers. The fact that some river authorities charge different rates to different categories of customers for the same water is considered economically inefficient. Another element that lends itself to economic inefficiency is the usage of the block rates. Through a questionnaire, the study finds that river authorities rank revenue sufficiency highest among six objectives pertaining to rate-setting processes. Legality is ranked second and economic efficiency is ranked third among these six goals. Though there are ten river authorities that supply water on a wholesale basis, only eight valid questionnaires responses could be used for the study. All river authorities involved with the wholesale supply of water commit most of their water supplies to municipal, agricultural, and industrial uses and customers through water supply contracts that contain legal agreements, which are dealt with before the river authority supplies the water to the customer. This study discusses the various similarities and differences between contracts of the ten river authorities that are involved in wholesale supply of water. Out of the ten river authorities, nine responded with their wholesale water supply contracts. One river authority responded with two contracts, therefore there were ten contracts that were studied.

In the present work object-oriented analysis and design have been applied for the quality management of river systems. The physical entities of the river system, as well as the conceptual entities for the flow and water quality analysis, the simulation and the pollution control strategies, have been represented through objects. By distributing appropriate responsibilities to these objects, daily low flows of the river gauge stations can be estimated for a duration of seven and thirty days and a recurrence interval of twenty years. Based on these flows optimum windows for the whole system and minimum daily flows of the river gauge stations can be also estimated. The minimum daily flows of each point of the river system can be provided. These are the design river flows for the management study. A simple statistical analysis of water quality in the river and the effluent of the plants can be also performed and the background concentrations of major constituents can be estimated. The simulation of water quality in the system can be also performed based on the design conditions of the study. Control strategies for the improvement of water quality can be finally applied and an optimized discharge scheme can be suggested. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis advisor: Noah P. Snyder
The Sheepscot River watershed is 590 km2 located in mid-coast Maine. Two branches comprise the river: the main stem and the West Branch, which merge in North Whitefield before flowing into the Gulf of Maine. The Sheepscot River has an imposed form that is strongly influenced by the Norumberga Fault Zone and it flows through glacial deposits. The watershed has a temperate climate because of its location in mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Water temperatures vary in the Sheepscot River over time and along the length of the river. The temporal and spatial variability of the river is due to air temperature, precipitation, discharge from the Palermo Fish Rearing Station, Long Pond, tree shade, confluence, and drainage area. Analysis of these hypothesized controls revolves around field water temperature measurements made between August 2005 and January 2006 and data collected from the North Whitefield gauging station. Supplementary digital spatial data from the Maine Geographic Information Systems data set were also used. Field measurements were taken at seven sites directly upstream and downstream of assumed controls. Climactic features of the watershed exert the main control over the entire river. Air temperature is the first order controls on water temperatures. Precipitation has some effect on water temperature but of less significance than air temperature. The river system has three areas that are affected by different combinations of the other controls: the upper main stem, the West Branch, and the lower main stem. Discharge from the Palermo Fish Rearing Station is the second major controlling factor of water temperature in the upper main stem. Its buffering effect is diluted downstream. Long Pond also affects the upper main stem by warming the water in the summer and cooling it in the winter. Drainage area explains variability in the West Branch and lower main stem. As drainage area increases downstream, water temperatures are controlled by more integrated factors. As a result of this the West Branch fluctuates more than the main stem because it has a smaller drainage area. Temperatures in the downstream reaches are less sensitive to any single control. Confluence and tree cover exert less influence over the system than other controls
Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2006
Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Geology and Geophysics
Discipline: College Honors Program

Le partage équitable des bénéfices dans les bassins fluviaux transfrontaliers est nécessaire pour résoudre les conflits entre les pays riverains et atteindre un consensus sur les activités de développement et de gestion du bassin versant. Le partage des bénéfices doit être discuté collectivement par tous les pays riverains pour être perçu non seulement comme efficace, mais aussi équitable. La littérature actuelle décrit principalement ce que l’on entend par le partage des bénéfices d’un point de vue conceptuel. Les arrangements institutionnels pratiques qui assurent le bien-être économique maximal, ainsi que les méthodes développées en collaboration pour encourager le partage équitable des bénéfices, ne sont toutefois pas présentés. L’objectif global de ce projet de thèse est de développer un arrangement institutionnel, qui comprend à la fois des politiques de répartition de l’eau et des mécanismes de partage des bénéfices, afin d’améliorer la gestion des ressources en eau transfrontalières et d’encourager la coopération entre les pays riverains. La méthodologie étend l’approche traditionnelle, basée sur des stratégies d’allocation très limitées en allouant efficacement les ressources en eau et le partage équitable des bénéfices découlant de l’utilisation de l’eau. Cette thèse détaille l’arrangement institutionnel développé et, à travers trois activités distinctes, les principales composantes de l’arrangement sont analysés. Dans l’arrangement institutionnel, une autorité de bassin fluvial (RBA) est l’opérateur d’un système axé sur le marché, dans lequel les politiques d’allocation économiquement efficaces sont identifiées et imposées aux usagers de l’eau, qui doit payer pour l’eau qui leur est alloué. Ces frais sont collectés et redistribués, via une règle de partage spécifique au bassin fluvial, afin d’assurer l’équité entre les usagers de l’eau. Le bassin du Nil oriental est utilisé comme étude de cas pour illustrer l’approche. Il y a des secteurs hydroélectriques et agricoles répartis dans trois pays (Egypte, Soudan et Ethiopie) et une longue histoire de non-coopération dans ce bassin. La répartition actuelle de l’eau repose sur des accords bilatéraux de l’époque coloniale, qui désignent l’Egypte et le Soudan comme les seuls bénéficiaires des eaux du Nil. La coopération future est impérative dans ce bassin pour profiter du potentiel hydroélectrique en Ethiopie, et du potentiel de l’agriculture au Soudan, ainsi que pour atténuer, autant que possible, les effets du changement climatique. Les résultats montrent que la gestion coopérative du bassin du Nil oriental, et de son infrastructure, augmenterait considérablement les bénéfices économiques à l’échelle du bassin et entraiînerait une répartition de l’eau plus efficace. L’arrangement institutionnel garantit que l’eau est retirée ouù elle a la plus grande valeur et que les investissements en amont dans des projets à faible productivité sont découragés. Le plus haut niveau de coopération est effectuée en vertu d’une institution supranationale et toutes les parties doivent se mettre d’accord sur la définition de l’équité dans le le partage des bénéfices. L’imposition d’axiomes spécifiques sur la base de cette vision collaborative de l’équité se traduit par une solution unique pour la répartition des bénéfices économiques. Une règle de partage élaborée avec la participation des parties prenantes peut être plus acceptable parce que la définition de la règle n’est pas contestée, comme ce serait le cas si les règles existantes avaientété appliquées avec leurs propres définitions de l’équité. Enfin, les résultats globaux montrent que la réalisation de compromis entre l’efficacité et l’équité peut se produire lorsque ces deux principes de répartition de l’eau sont couplés afin de maximiser les avantages de l’utilisation de l’eau, puis de réaffecter ces d’une manière équitable.
Le partage équitable des bénéfices dans les bassins fluviaux transfrontaliers est nécessaire pour résoudre les conflits entre les pays riverains et atteindre un consensus sur les activités de développement et de gestion du bassin versant. Le partage des bénéfices doit être discuté collectivement par tous les pays riverains pour être perçu non seulement comme efficace, mais aussi équitable. La littérature actuelle décrit principalement ce que l’on entend par le partage des bénéfices d’un point de vue conceptuel. Les arrangements institutionnels pratiques qui assurent le bien-être économique maximal, ainsi que les méthodes développées en collaboration pour encourager le partage équitable des bénéfices, ne sont toutefois pas présentés. L’objectif global de ce projet de thèse est de développer un arrangement institutionnel, qui comprend à la fois des politiques de répartition de l’eau et des mécanismes de partage des bénéfices, afin d’améliorer la gestion des ressources en eau transfrontalières et d’encourager la coopération entre les pays riverains. La méthodologie étend l’approche traditionnelle, basée sur des stratégies d’allocation très limitées en allouant efficacement les ressources en eau et le partage équitable des bénéfices découlant de l’utilisation de l’eau. Cette thèse détaille l’arrangement institutionnel développé et, à travers trois activités distinctes, les principales composantes de l’arrangement sont analysés. Dans l’arrangement institutionnel, une autorité de bassin fluvial (RBA) est l’opérateur d’un système axé sur le marché, dans lequel les politiques d’allocation économiquement efficaces sont identifiées et imposées aux usagers de l’eau, qui doit payer pour l’eau qui leur est alloué. Ces frais sont collectés et redistribués, via une règle de partage spécifique au bassin fluvial, afin d’assurer l’équité entre les usagers de l’eau. Le bassin du Nil oriental est utilisé comme étude de cas pour illustrer l’approche. Il y a des secteurs hydroélectriques et agricoles répartis dans trois pays (Egypte, Soudan et Ethiopie) et une longue histoire de non-coopération dans ce bassin. La répartition actuelle de l’eau repose sur des accords bilatéraux de l’époque coloniale, qui désignent l’Egypte et le Soudan comme les seuls bénéficiaires des eaux du Nil. La coopération future est impérative dans ce bassin pour profiter du potentiel hydroélectrique en Ethiopie, et du potentiel de l’agriculture au Soudan, ainsi que pour atténuer, autant que possible, les effets du changement climatique. Les résultats montrent que la gestion coopérative du bassin du Nil oriental, et de son infrastructure, augmenterait considérablement les bénéfices économiques à l’échelle du bassin et entraiînerait une répartition de l’eau plus efficace. L’arrangement institutionnel garantit que l’eau est retirée ouù elle a la plus grande valeur et que les investissements en amont dans des projets à faible productivité sont découragés. Le plus haut niveau de coopération est effectuée en vertu d’une institution supranationale et toutes les parties doivent se mettre d’accord sur la définition de l’équité dans le le partage des bénéfices. L’imposition d’axiomes spécifiques sur la base de cette vision collaborative de l’équité se traduit par une solution unique pour la répartition des bénéfices économiques. Une règle de partage élaborée avec la participation des parties prenantes peut être plus acceptable parce que la définition de la règle n’est pas contestée, comme ce serait le cas si les règles existantes avaientété appliquées avec leurs propres définitions de l’équité. Enfin, les résultats globaux montrent que la réalisation de compromis entre l’efficacité et l’équité peut se produire lorsque ces deux principes de répartition de l’eau sont couplés afin de maximiser les avantages de l’utilisation de l’eau, puis de réaffecter ces d’une manière équitable.
The equitable sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins is necessary to solve disputes among riparian countries and to reach a consensus on basin-wide development and management activities. Benefit-sharing arrangements must be collaboratively developed to be perceived not only as efficient, but also as equitable, and to be considered acceptable to all riparian countries. The current literature mainly describes what is meant by the term benefit sharing, in the context of transboundary river basins, and discusses this from a conceptual point of view. Practical, institutional arrangements that ensure maximum economic welfare, as well as collaboratively developed methods for encouraging the equitable sharing of benefits, are, however, not provided. The overall objective of this PhD project was to develop an institutional arrangement, that includes both water allocation policies and benefit-sharing mechanisms, to improve the sustainability of managing transboundary water resources and to encourage cooperation between riparian states. The methodology extends the traditional approach, which is based on highly constrained allocation policies, that merely complement existing management institutions, by efficiently allocating water resources and then equitably sharing the benefits derived from water use. This thesis details the institutional arrangement developed and, through three separate activities, the main components of the arrangement are analyzed. A river basin authority (RBA) is the operator of a market-based system, in which economically efficient allocation policies are identified and imposed on water users, who are charged for the water allocated to them. These charges are collected and redistributed, via a sharing rule specific to the river basin, to ensure equity among the water users. The Eastern Nile River Basin is used as the case study to illustrate the approach. There are important hydropower and agricultural sectors spread across three countries (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia), and there is a long history of non-cooperation in this river basin. Current water allocation is based on colonial era bilateral agreements that designate Egypt and Sudan as the only beneficiaries of the Nile waters. Future cooperation is imperative, in this basin, to take advantage of hydropower potential in Ethiopia, and agriculture potential in Sudan, as well as to mitigate, as much as possible, the effects of climate change in the near future. Results reveal that the cooperative management of the Eastern Nile River Basin and its infrastructure would significantly increase the basin-wide economic benefits and lead to more efficient water allocation. The institutional arrangement ensures that water is withdrawn where it has the greatest value (efficient water allocation is established) and that upstream investments in low productivity projects are discouraged. The highest level of cooperation is effectuated through a supranational institution and all parties must agree on the definition of fairness in the sharing of benefits.The imposition of specific axioms, based on this agreedupon vision of fairness results in a unique solution for the distribution of economic benefits. A sharing rule developed with stakeholder input may be more acceptable because the definition of the rule is not in question, as would be the case if existing rules were applied with their inherent definitions of equity. Finally, overall results show that achieving trade-offs between efficiency and equity can occur when these two principles of water allocation are coupled to first maximize the benefits from water use and then reallocate these in an equitable manner.
The equitable sharing of benefits in transboundary river basins is necessary to solve disputes among riparian countries and to reach a consensus on basin-wide development and management activities. Benefit-sharing arrangements must be collaboratively developed to be perceived not only as efficient, but also as equitable, and to be considered acceptable to all riparian countries. The current literature mainly describes what is meant by the term benefit sharing, in the context of transboundary river basins, and discusses this from a conceptual point of view. Practical, institutional arrangements that ensure maximum economic welfare, as well as collaboratively developed methods for encouraging the equitable sharing of benefits, are, however, not provided. The overall objective of this PhD project was to develop an institutional arrangement, that includes both water allocation policies and benefit-sharing mechanisms, to improve the sustainability of managing transboundary water resources and to encourage cooperation between riparian states. The methodology extends the traditional approach, which is based on highly constrained allocation policies, that merely complement existing management institutions, by efficiently allocating water resources and then equitably sharing the benefits derived from water use. This thesis details the institutional arrangement developed and, through three separate activities, the main components of the arrangement are analyzed. A river basin authority (RBA) is the operator of a market-based system, in which economically efficient allocation policies are identified and imposed on water users, who are charged for the water allocated to them. These charges are collected and redistributed, via a sharing rule specific to the river basin, to ensure equity among the water users. The Eastern Nile River Basin is used as the case study to illustrate the approach. There are important hydropower and agricultural sectors spread across three countries (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia), and there is a long history of non-cooperation in this river basin. Current water allocation is based on colonial era bilateral agreements that designate Egypt and Sudan as the only beneficiaries of the Nile waters. Future cooperation is imperative, in this basin, to take advantage of hydropower potential in Ethiopia, and agriculture potential in Sudan, as well as to mitigate, as much as possible, the effects of climate change in the near future. Results reveal that the cooperative management of the Eastern Nile River Basin and its infrastructure would significantly increase the basin-wide economic benefits and lead to more efficient water allocation. The institutional arrangement ensures that water is withdrawn where it has the greatest value (efficient water allocation is established) and that upstream investments in low productivity projects are discouraged. The highest level of cooperation is effectuated through a supranational institution and all parties must agree on the definition of fairness in the sharing of benefits.The imposition of specific axioms, based on this agreedupon vision of fairness results in a unique solution for the distribution of economic benefits. A sharing rule developed with stakeholder input may be more acceptable because the definition of the rule is not in question, as would be the case if existing rules were applied with their inherent definitions of equity. Finally, overall results show that achieving trade-offs between efficiency and equity can occur when these two principles of water allocation are coupled to first maximize the benefits from water use and then reallocate these in an equitable manner.

Growing demand for water and improper resource management over the years have led conflicts among states and countries. This research applies cooperative game theory. The bankruptcy model, where claims for resources exceed their total availability, was applied to Missouri River water allocation during dry years. In this study, five allocation rules were applied. These include Proportional, Constrained Equal Award, Sequential Sharing Rules based Proportional, Mianabadi’s methodology, and a proposed Modified Constrained Equal Award rule in allocating Missouri River water among two agents where their primary purposes were managing the reservoir water level and navigation channel. Selection of the best allocation rule depends on the beneficiaries, and there is no exact method to choose the best. However, this study reveals that the best approaches are proposed Modified Constrained Equal Award and Proportional rules to allocate water among the agents in the Missouri River for dry years.

Increased urbanization in the United States and the rest of the world, has led to more research on the effects it has on the local ecology. Urbanization can be defined as the creation of impervious cover in areas previously covered by natural vegetation (forest, grassland or farmland) as well as the potential influence of sewage treatment plants. Small increases in impervious cover can cause noticeable changes in stream chemistry. The goal of this study is to quantify the impact of smaller industrial cities on water and sediment geochemistry in a largely agricultural watershed. The study area is in east-central Indiana along the west fork of the White River and includes the cities of Winchester, Muncie and Anderson. This area is dominated by agriculture and the impact of cities in the region on water chemistry has not been studied. To evaluate this impact, sampling sites were selected up- and downstream of the three cities to characterize White River water chemistry before and after it flows through the cities as well as sewage treatment plants. Sampling was done over the course of one year to obtain samples characteristic of high and low flow river conditions. Samples were analyzed for major cation and anion concentrations as well as total suspended solids. Metals data was also obtained in sediments, although sampled only twice throughout the study. Results show that sediment load, on average, increases on the downstream side as the river flows through urbanized areas. Chemical analyses show that major cations and anions, Na, K, SO4 and Cl, have distinct spikes in concentration on the downstream side of the cities, as well. Na and Cl are specifically linked to human and urbanized activity, and were up to four times higher downstream of urbanized cities. The concentration of other major ions, including Ca, Mg and NO3, was mostly due to agricultural land use and local bedrock geology. Trace metals characteristic of pollution from automobiles, including Cd, Cr and Zn, showed large increases downstream of urban areas as well. This indicates that even in an area that is largely dominated by agriculture, smaller cities have a quantifiable impact to White River water quality.
Department of Geology

The purpose of this thesis is to establish the extent of river transportation in the period 1189 - 1600. Investigation is made as to which rivers were physically usable, which were legally usable and the comparative cost of land and river transport. The evidence of historic use is examined and these records are compared with the recent limits of use of the rivers. Hence an estimate is made as to which sections of rivers were probably used during that period. The principles of fluvial geomorphology have been used to estimate past channel changes. The legal records have been studied and analysed. Considerable evidence of the use of rivers has been found which materially increases the lengths of rivers for which there are records of historic use. It is concluded that:- 1. all rivers which were physically usable were legally usable, 2. there is a high probability that each section of a river which is now physically usable was usable by small boats in the period 1189-1600, 3. on the balance of probabilities each section of a river which is now physically usable was used during that period. Finally the implication of this research for the present day law relating to public access on rivers is considered.

Water quality parameters including ammonia, nitrate+nitrite, phosphate, total suspended solids, Escherichia coli, and dissolved oxygen were statistically evaluated from sampling data collected by the Bureau of Water Quality (City of Muncie, Indiana) at five sampling locations in Delaware County over a five-year period (2002-2006). These data were also compared with water quality standards/guidelines to determine how sample values compared to acceptable levels of these parameters. Friedman's non-parametric test was used to study the differences between sites and seasons. Spearman's Rank Correlation was used to study the correlations between water quality parameters at each sampling site. Significant differences were observed for individual parameters when evaluated relative to sampling location based on pooled monthly collected data as well as data evaluated on a seasonal basis. These differences indicated the fact that different sources were responsible for observed concentrations at a particular location and that seasonal phenomenon such as precipitation, discharge and temperature also affected sample concentrations at individual sampling locations. Most notable were differences in geometric mean concentrations of ammonia, nitrate+nitrite, phosphate and E. coli upstream and downstream of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), with highest concentrations downstream, indicating the significant impact of the WWTP on water quality in the White River. Significant correlations observed among some study parameters suggested that sample concentrations may have been affected by similar sources. In comparison to water quality standards, concentrations of ammonia, nitrate+nitrite, phosphate, and E. coli were at unacceptable levels at most sampling locations.
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Conflicts over the optimal allocation of water resources are no longer just a concern but political reality. Increasing population and demands, competing uses, as well as uncertainty over scientific processes all add to the complexity of water management and in turn can lead to complex, difficult, and long standing water conflicts. This research employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate water conflict in interstate settings and examines the relationship between commonly held conceptions of water conflict and actual events. Results reveal a low number of observations in each of the examined basins. Each basin has a unique relationship with the evaluated variables and the use of GIS reveals distinct spatial relationships for conflicts. However, the modifiable unit areal problem presents a real concern for continued application. Results also reveal that generalizing indicators of conflict across basins loses the inherent variability and nuanced relationships that are seen through a basin-by-basin analysis.

High frequency water quality monitoring presents unique and unlimited opportunities of exploring spatio-temporal variation in water quality. Knowledge gained from analyzing high frequency water quality data can provide more clarity regarding transportation and processing of water constituents over time and space and scale. This study analyzes high frequency discharge, nitrate load and concentration data for three watersheds of different sizes - Cedar River Watershed, North Raccoon and Middle Raccoon. Each of these sites were monitored for 2-3 calendar years. Sudden spikes in discharge, nitrate concentration and load data, also defined as "events" were analyzed in great detail to understand the patterns in event occurrence and event intensity. Smaller watersheds seemed to have sharper and "flashier" events compared to bigger watersheds. Nitrate concentration events were flatter in shape compared to discharge and nitrogen load events. The relationship between nitrogen concentration and discharge was found to be varying over time, unlike the relationship between nitrate load and discharge, which were almost perfectly correlated for most site-year combinations. Based on more than 40,000 simulations, it was determined that high frequency water quality sampling is not only efficient in capturing minute spatio-temporal variations but can also capture nitrate exceedances to a greater degree. High frequency sampling was also associated with higher yield ratio in nitrate load estimates, not only during high flow periods, but also during the non-high-flow period.

Several studies indicates China is experiencing a water crisis, were several regions are suffering of severe water scarcity and rivers are heavily polluted. On the other hand, water is used inefficiently and wastefully: water use efficiency in the agriculture sector is only 40% and within industry, only 40% of the industrial wastewater is recycled. However, based on statistical data, China’s total water resources is ranked sixth in the world, based on its water resources and yet, Yellow River and Hai River dries up in its estuary every year. In some regions, the water situation is exacerbated by the fact that rivers’ water is heavily polluted with a large amount of untreated wastewater, discharged into the rivers and deteriorating the water quality. Several regions’ groundwater is overexploited due to human activities demand, which is not met by local. Some provinces have over withdrawn groundwater, which has caused ground subsidence and increased soil salinity. So what is the situation in China? Is there a water crisis, and if so, what are the causes?This report is a review of several global water scarcity assessment methods and summarizes the findings of the results of China’s water resources to get a better understanding about the water situation. All of the methods indicated that water scarcity is mainly concentrated to north China due to rapid growth, overexploitation from rivers and reduced precipitation. Whereas, South China is indicated as abundant in water resources, however, parts of the region are experiencing water scarcity due to massive dam constructions for water storage and power production. Too many dam constructions in a river disrupts flow of the river water and pollutants are then accumulated within floodgates.Many Chinese officials and scholars believe that with economic growth comes improved environmental quality when the economy has reached to a certain of per-capita level. However, with the present water situation it is not sustainable or possible for China to keep consuming and polluting its water resources. Improvement of environmental quality does not come automatically with increased income, and policies, laws and regulations are needed in order to stop further deterioration of the environment.China’s water situation is not any news and the key factor is human activities, but the question is how to solve it. China’s water crisis is much more complex than over exploitation of groundwater and surface water. There are three water issues in China: “too much water – floods, too little water – droughts, and too dirty water – water pollution” (Jun & Chen, 2001). Thus, solving China’s water crisis is a huge challenge to solve without negatively affecting the economic growth.

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations have motivated efforts to better quantify reservoirs and fluxes of Earth’s carbon. Of these fluxes from the atmosphere, one that has received relatively little attention is the atmospheric carbon sink associated with carbonate mineral dissolution. Osterhoudt (2014) and Salley (2016) explored new normalization techniques to improve and standardize a process for measuring this flux over large river basins. The present research extends this work to the 490,600 km2 Ohio River drainage basin and 11 subbasins. The study estimated the DIC flux leaving these basins between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014, based on secondary hydrogeochemical, geologic, and climatic data. The total annual DIC flux for the Ohio River basin was estimated to be 7.54 x 1012 g carbon (C). The time-volume normalized value of DIC flux for the Ohio basin was 3.36 x 108 g C/km3 day, where the km3 refers to the amount of water available during the year. This was within 71.4% agreement with the Barren River data (Salley, 2016) and within 63.9% agreement with the Green River data (Osterhoudt, 2014). In general, normalized DIC flux values of sub-basins containing at least modest amounts (more than 8%) of exposed carbonates (Tennessee, Cumberland, Green, Kentucky, Licking, Monongahela, and Allegheny) were in strong agreement with the normalized DIC flux of the Ohio River basin, whereas inclusion of basins with little or no near surface carbonates (Wabash, Great Miami, Scioto and Kanawha) yielded poor agreement. Regression analysis yielded strong agreement between DIC flux and the normalization parameters for the carbonate-bearing sub-basins (R2 = 0.97, p =