Hm3 Of Water Research Articles

Advancing towards zero emissions: Integrating floating photovoltaic systems in hydroelectric power plant reservoirs

One technological alternative to diversifying the energy matrix and reducing reliance on conventional sources involves integrating floating photovoltaics into hydropower plants. To improve the efficiency and sustainability of electricity production, this combination harnesses the benefits of solar and hydropower, thus contributing to climate change mitigation. This study proposes an assessment of the floating photovoltaics resource in water bodies associated with the 14 most important hydropower plants in Mexico. Using ERA5 reanalysis data and the assumption of a 10% coverage of the area of the water bodies, parameters such as annual energy production, avoided greenhouse gases and water savings were estimated. This was done considering two scenarios of floating photovoltaics power density, a pessimistic 30 W/m2 and an optimistic 125 W/m2. Under the conditions proposed in this work, the results of the optimistic Scenario indicate that an annual energy production of 33.12 TWh could be achieved, avoiding the emission of 14.51 MtCO2e of greenhouse gases and the evaporation of 336.78 hm3 of water.

Proposal of an alluvial dike as a nature-based solution for sustainable water management in coastal areas

Climate change affects several environments, and one of the main problems is the availability and pollution of water resources. As a sustainable strategy, nature-based solutions and rescue of ancestral knowledge are economical and environmentally friendly measures. This study aimed to analyse the design of an alluvial dike by integrating ancestral and engineering knowledge to obtain a surface water reservoir that improves the recharge of the coastal aquifer in the Manglaralto community. This study considers a geological-geotechnical analysis of the study area and presents an environmental analysis of civil work to determine its impact on the surrounding ecosystem systems. The alluvial material dike, green structure, 8 m high, allows the reservoir of approximately 0.06 hm3 of water, which allows the recharge of the coastal aquifer with a field capacity (volumetric content) of 0.1 and conserves its ecosystem. From an environmental perspective, reforestation of the riverbank would reduce annual evapotranspiration, and from an economic perspective, the budget would be reduced considerably (60 % owing to ancestral knowledge and community work). The proposed construction of this second dike relates to the context of Sowing and Harvesting Water (SHW) and nature-based solutions, with community participation leading the processes, with technical accompaniment, to contribute to SDG 2030. This study provides the criterion that the integrality of the green structure offers more significant benefits for the ecosystem and its inhabitants.

Changes in the Landform and Water Conditions of the Industri-Alized Urban Area as a Result of Mining Activities

A particularly large accumulation of mining subsidence basins is characteristic for the Silesian Upland in southern Poland. This region is home to one of Europe’s largest coal basins. The objective of the study was to assess the subsidence process on the land surface in an industrialized urban area, as well as their impact on changes in the water cycle. Detailed studies were conducted in an area of 51.26 km2, which covers urban areas—mainly of Świętochłowice and partly Ruda Śląska and Chorzów, as well as Bytom and Zabrze. In the period 1883–1994 land surface depressions were revealed in an area of 38.8 km2, which constitutes 75.7% of the study area. In total, the endorheic areas spread over 6.9 km2. Changes in land reliefs have resulted in distinct water-cycle disturbances at local and regional levels. A generalised water-cycle scheme has been developed for the mining subsidence zone. The main directions of changes in water migration within the endorheic subsidence basin have been indicated, accounting for the situation before and after land subsidence. Consequently, this results in an average excess of 1.7 hm3 of water per year in the water cycle in these areas.

The influence of Strzelin Quarry Lakes on small reservoir retention resources in the regional catchments

The paper presents the results of the analysis of the volume of water retained in Strzelin Quarry Lakes (SQLs). The volume of retained water was estimated by using the computational method, where the proposed reduction factors were determined with the use of DTM (digital terrain model). 2.6 hm3 of water was retained in seventeen Strzelin Quarry Lakes, of which 1.2 hm3 in the Ślęza River catchment (3 quarry lakes), and 1.4 hm3 in the Oława River catchment (14 quarry lakes). The obtained data of the volume of water retained in SQLs were compared to the balance of the water retention capacity of water reservoirs in the catchments of the Ślęza River (0.809 hm3), part of the WR08 Bystrzyca balance catchments (16.190 hm3) and in the catchments of the Oława River (2.782 hm3), part of the WR09 Nysa Kłodzka balance catchment (104.960 hm3). Inclusion the volume of water retained in Strzelin Quarry Lakes in the small scale water retention (reservoirs and ponds) balance would increase the volume of retained water by 156.0% in the Ślęza catchment (by 7.8% in the WR08 Bystrzyca balance catchment) and by 49.5% in the Oława catchment (by 1,3% in the WR09 Nysa Kłodzka balance catchment). Under favorable hydrogeological and geomorphological conditions water reclamation of the excavations may be one of the main aspects of increasing the retention capacity of the catchment, what is particularly important in areas characterized by low water resources.

Hydro-sedimentary flow modelling in some catchments Constantine highlands, case of Wadis Soultez and Reboa (Algeria)

Abstract Erosion is a major phenomenon that causes damage not only to soil and agriculture, but also to the quality of the water amounting to tonnes of matter annually transported on the earth's surface. This fact has attracted the interest of researchers to understand its mechanism and explain its causes and consequences. This work is a comparative study of water erosion in the two semi-arid catchments of Wadi Soultez and Wadi Reboa; located in the North-East of Algeria. The approach adopted for the quantification of sediment transport consists on researching the best regressive model to represent the statistical relation between the sediment yield and the measured water discharge at different scales: annual, seasonal and monthly. The available data cover 27 years from 1985-2012. The results show that the power model has given the best correlation coefficient. Results have indicated that Wadi Reboa transported an average of 14.66 hm3 of water and 0.25 million tonnes of sediments annually. While Wadi Soultez has transported 4.2 hm3 of water and 0.11 million tonnes of sediments annually. At a seasonal scale, sediment amounts have showed significant water erosion in autumn with around 44% and secondarily in the spring with 29% in Wadi Soultez. Unlike Wadi Reboa, sediment transport represents 32% and 46% in autumn and spring respectively. Based on the obtained sediment amounts; it is found that the physical factors: such as steep reliefs, vulnerable lithological nature of rocks and poor vegetal cover, have significantly contributed in accelerating soil erosion.

Water in the Mendoza, Argentina, food processing industry: water requirements and reuse potential of industrial effluents in agriculture

This paper estimates the volume of water used by the Mendoza food processing industry considering different water efficiency scenarios. The potential for using food processing industry effluents for irrigation is also assessed. The methodology relies upon information collected from interviews with qualified informants from different organizations and food-processing plants in Mendoza selected from a targeted sample. Scenarios were developed using local and international secondary information sources. The results show that food processing plants in Mendoza use 19.65 hm3 of water per year; efficient water management practices would make it possible to reduce water use by 64%, i.e., to 7.11 hm3. At present, 70% of the water is used by the fruit and vegetable processing industry, 16% by wineries, 8% by mineral water bottling plants, and the remaining 6% by olive oil, beer and soft drink plants. The volume of effluents from the food processing plants in Mendoza has been estimated at 16.27 hm3 per year. Despite the seasonal variations of these effluents, and the high sodium concentration and electrical conductivity of some of them, it is possible to use them for irrigation purposes. However, because of these variables and their environmental impact, land treatment is required.

Monthly Water Balance of an Iconic Coastal Desert Wetland Under Reduced Flows and Increased Salinities; Implications for Management

The Cienega de Santa Clara is a brackish coastal wetland located in the Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve. It plays vital ecological roles that support endangered-migratory species and flora. Its main water supply comes from irrigation return flows from the United States with salinity levels (2–3 g L−1) that promote the growth of Typha domingensis. This study conducted a water-mass balance during one year of reduced water volumes and high salinity levels caused by a trial run of the Yuma Desalting Plant. The analysis projected the effects that could be expected from the plant with permanent operation conditions. During the test run, inflows varied from 0.62 to 5 m3s−1, supplying the wetland with 127.20 hm3 of water at 2–5 g L−1. Forty-five percent of this volume exited as runoff, while 52 % exited by evapotranspiration. Water depth varied from 0.10–2.1 m at different time responses; also, during the summer water salinity levels increased above the tolerance limit for the vegetation, reducing its area by 20 %. Vegetation area returned when normal flows were resumed in the fall. The results indicate that permanent operation of the plant would reduce the vegetated area in the wetland due to reduced flows and increased salinities.

Reclaimed water for the Tarragona petrochemical park

The Camp de Tarragona Water Reuse Project is an emblematic example of how regional water scarcity can be overcome by considering reclaimed secondary effluent, which would otherwise be disposed of in the Mediterranean Sea, as an essential component of integrated water resources management. An advanced water reclamation plant (AWRP) was completed in 2011 to reclaim municipal secondary effluent from Tarragona and Vilaseca-Salou wastewater treatment plants. The reclaimed effluent is used for cooling and process water at the nearby Tarragona petrochemical park. The AWRP's current (2014) capacity is 19,000 m3/d (Phase I), and further expansions are planned to produce 29,000 m3/d (Phase II) and 55,000 m3/d (Phase III) in coming years. This locally available additional water supply will replace surface water supplies currently transferred from the Ebro River for use at the petrochemical park; as a result, an equivalent volume of surface water will be available for urban water supply in the coastal areas of Tarragona province. By developing this new and locally available water supply source, industrial growth in a water scarce region has been supported, while promoting local industry's sustainability. This industrial water reuse project provided 0.20 hm3 of water from September to December 2012, its first operational year, and 1.37 hm3 in 2013. The paper presents and discusses the planning, design, construction and operation phases of this water reclamation and reuse project, including start-up and commissioning, facilities preservation protocols from construction completion to servicing start-up, and the operational, management and economic arrangements adopted to provide a reliable source of reclaimed water for cooling water systems and demineralized water for boiler feed at the Tarragona petrochemical park and a nearby cogeneration power plant.

Establishing minimum water level for Plastiras reservoir (Greece) combining water quality modelling with landscape aesthetics

A water quality model (MERES) is applied in the multi-purpose reservoir of Plastiras in Greece. The model was calibrated with limited field data using the standard trial and error procedure; next, it was applied for four scenarios of reservoir operation, which correspond to four values of minimum water levels (MWL). Model results were combined with landscape aesthetics to establish a “safe” MWL in the reservoir. MWL was proposed to be +784 m, a value that ensures a very good water quality by retaining the reservoir in the status of “a little beyond oligotrophic” and a very good quality of landscape with an acceptable area of dead zones; it also ensures an annual release of 127.5 hm3 of water within a reliability level of 90%. This quantity can be considered as acceptable from the water supply point of view.

Saragossa, 50 examples of efficient water use in the city

The water saving project, Saragossa, water saving city. 50 Good Practices aims to resolve the problems of water scarcity with a different approach which is cheaper, more ecological and free from social conflicts: increasing the efficiency of its use. It seeks to provide a model to be imitated by the more than 9,000 Spanish towns which waste over 1,500 hm3 of water per year. In 1997 a collective challenge was put forward: to save 1 billion litres of water in one year. In fact 1,176 billion litres was saved, 5.6% of domestic consumption. 50 Good Practices in efficient water use are currently being worked on. As we have demonstrated in the project, technological change is produced via imitation. The Hospital Royo Villanova, with a consumption of 382 litres per bed per day, is one such example to imitate; this is one of the best ratios in the world. Today Saragossa has one of the lowest ratios of domestic consumption per inhabitant per day in Spain: 96 litres.