International Journal of Water (5 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Predicting aluminium using full-scale data of a conventional water treatment plant on Orontes River by ANN, GEP, and DT  
  by Ruba Alsaeed, Bassam Alaji, Mazen Ibrahim 
  Abstract: Aluminium sulfate is one of the most common chemicals used to coagulate water. Some studies indicate that it can increase the risk of Alzheimers disease. This study focused on the relationship between residual aluminium and many parameters. The actual data of Al-Qusayr purification plant in Homs city was used . Three different models were studied, artificial neural networks (ANN), genetic expression technology (GEP) and Decision Tree (DT), to determine the residual aluminium. The models results were compared. ANN was the best in modelling data when initial turbidity was between 6.5 and 30 NTU, decision tree was better in the range 25 to 60 NTU. In general the best models was ANN, while the most easy generalised one was GEP. The ANN model was found to be the most suitable model to predict residual aluminium with a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.88 and RMSE = 0.019 mg/L.
  Keywords: aluminium residual; artificial neural network; gene expression; decision tree; turbidity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2023.10058775
   
  
• Hydrological modelling of Usk River basin in Wales, UK, using geospatial technologies  
  by Hayder H. Kareem 
  Abstract: The measurement and analysis of river basins is one of the basic tasks in morphometric studies, and it is extremely important for many geomorphological and hydrological applications. The current study aims to identify the hydrological characteristics and their implications for the Usk River basin in Wales, UK, which is located within the geographical boundaries between longitude ((51
  Keywords: hydrological modelling; Usk River basin; geospatial technologies; GIS; TWI; STI; Wales.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2023.10056820
   
  
• Examining sediment accumulation pattern and storage capacity loss of Lake Ziway, Ethiopia  
  by Alemu O. Aga 
  Abstract: To estimate Lake Ziway (Ethiopia) sedimentation and the lifetime of reservoirs, a multi-year, repeated acoustic surveying technique was applied. The lake's old bathymetry of the year 2005 and new 2017 lake bathymetry were generated by collecting lake depth. The sediment distribution pattern between the years was analysed by subtracting their raster maps, and the sediment thickness was generated by subtracting the old bottom elevation from the new by using ArcGIS 10.2. From this, the total amount of sediment deposited in twelve years was 17.75 million cubic metres, which gives an average thickness of 4.2 cm. After twelve years, the lake has lost about 1.12% of its volume. Assuming a constant rate over the period, the annual sedimentation is 1.479 million cubic meres, or 1.81 million ton/year. Based on the calculated sediment rate, the lake will lose its volume by 0.093% annually and its half-life is estimated as 519.5 years.
  Keywords: bathymetry; reservoir capacity; sedimentation; capacity curve; Lake Ziway.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2023.10057450
   
  
• Evaluation of the impact of climate change on water resources and droughts frequency and severity in a small-scale international catchment in the Iberian Peninsula  
  by Jose Moyano, Mirta Dimas, Antonio Jimenez, Luis Barranco, Carlos Ruiz Del Portal Florido, Adrian Rico 
  Abstract: An evaluation of the potential effect of climate change on water resources and droughts has been performed in a small-scale international region in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Twenty EURO-CORDEX climate projections were used for three future periods (2010-2040, 2040-2070 and 2070-2100) under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The bias of the climate projections was analysed and corrected using the quantile mapping technique. A distributed model at a spatial resolution of 500 m was used for the hydrological simulation. The ensemble of projections simulated a reduction in runoff of -8.7% in RCP4.5 and -15.8% in RCP8.5 by the end of the century. High discrepancies between projections, due to the uncertainties of the process, cause differences within the river basin, but reductions in runoff are generalised all over the territory by 2100. The frequency and severity of droughts, estimated through a probabilistic approach, are likely to increase by the end of the century.
  Keywords: climate change impact; hydrological simulation; bias correction; water resources; droughts; international river basin management; drought frequency estimation; drought severity estimation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2023.10058268
   
  
• Perspectives on 2018 water crisis management in Cape Town, South Africa: a systematic review  
  by Elmon Mudefi 
  Abstract: 'Day Zero' was the municipality's forecast that Cape Town's water supply would be completely shut off on April 12, 2018, owing to water scarcity. Subsequently, many scholars have offered a multiplicity of narratives that have evolved into an assortment of perspectives to explain how the Day Zero phenomenon emerged, including its framing, impacts on Capetonians, their response, and how it could be avoided in the future. Using a systematic review of literature to examine emerging perspectives on the Day Zero phenomenon, findings revealed varied perspectives that ranged from political, conspiracy, rhetorical, behavioural change, ecological, and socioeconomic, to perspectives on water governance.
  Keywords: Day Zero; water scarcity; water governance; water conservation; adaptation; Cape Town.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2023.10058794