Natural Water Flow Research Articles

Estimation of the Water Footprint of Wood Construction in Chile Using a Streamlined Input–Output-Based Model

Wood construction is often proposed to reduce the construction sector’s greenhouse gas emissions due to its carbon sequestration potential. However, forestry significantly impacts natural water flows and increases water use—a critical concern in Chile. This study evaluates the water footprint of wood construction in Chile, considering direct and indirect water consumption under various scenarios. An input–output model was developed to quantify economic interactions, incorporating a new wood-construction sector based on data from a model house. An environmental extension matrix was also created to account for blue water (groundwater and surface water extraction) and green water (rainwater absorbed from soil) consumption. Future scenarios for the residential building sector were defined based on different growth rates for wood-based construction and current construction methods, and the model was resolved using the scenarios as demand vectors. The results indicate that wood construction’s water footprint is 2.38–2.47 times higher than conventional construction methods, with over 64% linked to forestry’s green water demand. By 2050, increased wood construction could raise the sector’s total water footprint by 30.0–31.8%. These findings underscore the need to assess water consumption as a critical sustainability parameter for wood construction and highlight the value of tools like the water footprint to guide decision-making.

Oil spill pollution and diversity analyses of resistant bacteria isolated from soil across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal coastlines.

Pelagic transport causes oil pollution via international tanker routes in the open ocean across southern Asia and the Indian Territory. Nutrient-rich runoff from residential, commercial, and industrial wastes, oil tanker mishaps, and sailing flags have all resulted in pollution. The natural flow of ocean water from east to west dragged pollutants into Indian Territory. We have investigated that the severe deposition of oil spills and biohazardous wastes is causing faunal mortality. Microbiome analyses helped us understand the sample's microbial load. 16S amplicon metagenome analysis, followed by enumeration and confirmation using molecular methods, indicates the presence of diverse microbial profiles. The presence of non-native hydrocarbon- and AMR-resistant bacterial taxa, such as Brevundimonas, Staphylococcus spp., Mycolicibacterium, Spingomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Chitinophaga spp., Priestia spp., Domibacillus spp., Rossellomorea spp., and Acinetobacter spp., confirms the impacts of oil and urban pollution. This indicates that the coastal soil of Goa and Andhra Pradesh has hydrocarbon- and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which confirms that the present pollution status and that high-traffic recreational activities put biodiversity and humans at risk of getting illnesses linked to antibiotic resistance.

Особенности длительных фаз повышенного/пониженного стока Енисея (до впадения Ангары)

The article presents the results of studying long phases of decreased and increased conditionally natural annual and seasonal water flow of the Yenisei River at Kyzyl Сity, Nikitino and Bazaikha settlements. The retrieval of long-term water flow time series (with excluded anthropogenic changes) at Nikitino and Bazaikha settlements is based on the transformation of the annual hydrograph of daily water discharges using the Kalinin–Milyukov method. Long phases of annual and seasonal water flow were revealed on the basis of cumulative deviations curves. For the entire observation period of 1936–2021, two long contrasting phases were revealed for winter flow, which are typical for many studied rivers in Russia. At the same time, long-term changes in runoff of the combined season of snowmelt flood and summer-autumn rain floods, as well as annual water flow, were characterized by a four- to five-fold change in contrasting phases. The duration of contrasting phases reached more than 50 years, and the phases of decreased water flow were significantly longer than the phases of increased flow. The difference in the water flow of contrasting phases of the Yenisei River is most significant for winter flow and is on average equal to 20–40 %, and the one for annual flow and flow in the season of snowmelt floods and summer-autumn rain floods is 9–12 %.

Enhanced multi-step streamflow series forecasting using hybrid signal decomposition and optimized reservoir computing models

This study evaluates the use of different time series decomposition methods in association with echo state networks (ESNs), deep echo state networks (DeepESNs), and next generation reservoir computing (NGRC) models to predict the natural flow of water in two hydropower reservoirs with horizons of one, seven, fourteen, and twenty-one steps ahead. The Coyote optimization algorithm is used to adjust the hyperparameters of the ESNs. The use of reservoir computing (RC) methods with Coyote optimization algorithm, a swarm intelligence approach, is compared with the use of variational mode decomposition (VMD), empirical wavelet transform, and empirical mode decomposition. Analysis of the results shows that the use of signal decomposition methods in association with RC can improve the accuracy and performance of the prediction model. The results are compared using different statistical metrics, showing that, in most cases, decomposition methods can improve the forecasting performance of RC. Overall, NGRC outperformed ESN and DeepESN in most of evaluated cases. The best results were obtained using VMD for the forecast horizons of 7, 14, and 21 days ahead, with a decrease in mean absolute error in a range from 43.70% to 88.88% compared to all the other models. Using a Diebold–Mariano test, the results show that the use of VMD is statistically significant in all the cases, with a significant value of 1% in all tested cases of ESN forecasting.

Renewable energy sources in Kyrgyzstan and energy supply to rural consumers

The study assesses the potential of renewable energy sources in Kyrgyzstan and explores their application to provide energy to rural consumers. This study used an approximation of the parabolic function of solar radiation change, statistical processing of data on the average annual water flow of small rivers, as well as calculation of the volume of manure produced and its processing into biogas and bio fertilisers to assess their potential in agriculture and environmental impact. Kyrgyzstan, located between 40 and 68° north latitude, has evenly distributed solar radiation, small rivers and biomass, which have significant renewable resources. The distribution of solar radiation on the territory corresponds to the normal law of the monthly average mathematical expectation of 175.79 kWh/(m²*month) and a standard deviation of 92.44 kWh/(m²*month). On average, each square metre of a solar power plant can produce 0.451 kWh of energy. The intervals of average water discharge between the small rivers of Kyrgyzstan follow a power law distribution with a mathematical expectation of 3.112 m³/s and a standard deviation of 2.46 m³/s. With a natural water flow rate of 0.652 m³/s, a low-pressure micro-hydroelectric power plant (with a water head of 1 to 2 m) can generate up to 8.95 kW of power. The total consumption of biogas by an average farm in Kyrgyzstan and its consumption for heating raw materials in a bioreactor during the cold season ranges from 16.34 to 18.93 kg/hour. This demand for biogas is met by producing domestic feedstock (animal manure) using compact biogas plants with reactors of up to 20 m³. These facts indicate that the use of the above-mentioned renewable energy sources in Kyrgyzstan can provide autonomous power supply to remote rural consumers and contribute to solving existing environmental problems, as well as energy-saving

Hydrothermal Characteristics-Based Water Purification Model Using Hybrid Nanofluid Flow over Non-Linearly Stretched Permeable Surfaces

Sequel to all the published facts on the hydrothermal of pure water on a permeable expanding/contracting surface with thermodynamic irreversibilities convey iron (III) oxide and copper hybrid nanoparticles as applicable in industry and engineering, nothing is known about the importance of viscous dissipation and the Joule heating. The current paper addresses the natural convective flow of pure water, / nanofluid and-hybrid nanofluid, (a novel advanced nanofluid composited of and nanoparticles) induced by a non-linearly stretching permeable sheet with velocity slip using a numerical scheme. The equations obtained are solved numerically via Galerkin Weighted Residual Method (GWRM), in the limiting sense, the present results conform with the existing work. Analyses reveal that a 20% concentration of nanoparticles in a base fluid is more effective in the augmentation of heat transfer than a 10% concentration. Also, the nonlinearity parameter increased the heat transfer rate for the hybrid nanosuspension. The report of this study will be of benefit to chemical engineering and nanotechnology advancement.

Longitudinal Recovery of Suspended Sediment Downstream of Large Dams in the US

AbstractDams disrupt the natural flow of water and sediment along rivers. Reservoirs trap a significant amount of sediment, which substantially alters downstream hydrology, channel morphology, and sediment transport capacity. The longitudinal recovery of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) along rivers is potentially a new metric for estimating downstream responses to dams over space, rather than time, but is rarely quantified due to the lack of spatial SSC data. Satellites can estimate SSC along rivers where no field data exist and provide a high enough spatial resolution for assessing downstream recovery at the scale of tens to hundreds of kilometers. Here, we use a recently published database of spatially explicit SSC observations derived from Landsat to quantify if a river recovers or not, the SSC recovery percentage, and SSC recovery length downstream of large dams across the Contiguous United States (CONUS). Rivers recover SSC downstream of most dams (71%). The chance of a river recovering and the length of river required to recover SSC is associated primarily with the size of the reservoir (mean storage, km3) and the size of the river (mean discharge, m3/s). Rivers were more likely to recover SSC downstream of run‐of‐river, navigation dams compared to large storage or hydropower dams. Our results suggest that rivers typically recover suspended sediment downstream of dams, influenced by factors like dam storage, purpose, and river channel characteristics.

Comprehensive Study on Design and Construction Methodology of Precast Box-Type Minor Bridge

Abstract: Bridges are crucial elements in modern transportation infrastructure, facilitating connectivity across different points on roads. In areas with challenging topography and site conditions, such as rivers or streams, it becomes essential to construct structures that allow for the unobstructed flow of water. These structures, commonly known as bridges and culverts, are vital for maintaining natural water flow. The flow rate through these water bodies is a key consideration in the design of bridges, culverts, and other drainage structures. This study focuses on the design of precast box type minor bridge, exploring alternative design modules that incorporate fixed and hinged end condition for both top and bottom slabs of single and double box cells. The objective is to determine the optimal design configuration for box Type Minor Bridge components, balancing considerations of functionality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

A multiproxy analysis of modern environmental change within a cypress swamp forest, Collier County, FL

The Florida Everglades are a vast subtropical wetland that historically spanned over 1,000,000 hectares, but much of the Everglades has changed in the last 100 years due to anthropogenic activity. Collier County, situated in southwest FL and bordering the Gulf of Mexico, was subject to alteration in the form of logging, road building, and canal digging. These actions disrupted the natural sheet flow of water and had large environmental impacts on the region, impacts which are slowly being addressed by Everglades restoration efforts. The aim of this work was to observe environmental change at a cypress swamp forest in Collier County within the Big Cypress National Preserve. Using sediment core data including charcoal analysis, loss on ignition, and peat humification, as well as remote sensing techniques, this project uses a novel approach to assess local environmental conditions in the modern era for the region. While this analysis was based on a single core located at the study site, additional ground-penetrating radar profiles at the study site showed a consistent, laterally continuous distribution of subsurface interfaces, therefore suggesting that the core is representative of the conditions at this specific location. Historical records and contemporary data are used to evaluate environmental change over time, and satellite imagery is used to quantify vegetation health. Environmental change related to anthropogenic activity is noted, and evidence of progress from restoration efforts is observed from the last two decades in our study’s data.

MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT OF THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF TURBIDITY IN LAKE BUHI FROM SENTINEL-2 IMAGES USING GEOGRAPHICALLY WEIGHTED REGRESSION AND NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE TURBIDITY INDEX

Abstract. Water quality monitoring is vital in ensuring the suitability of Lake Buhi for aquaculture and recreational activities. However, with the limitations of traditional monitoring methods, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) cannot comprehensively characterize the spatial and temporal water quality patterns in the lake. With the development of remote sensing methods, this study aimed to describe the spatial and temporal variability of turbidity in Lake Buhi in 2020 using Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and the Normalized Difference Turbidity Index (NDTI) applied to Sentinel-2 images. GWR provided accurate estimates of turbidity, with the results achieving an R2 value of 0.98 for the February image and 0.93 for October. GWR-derived turbidity was 2 used as an alternative to in situ data and then regressed with NDTI values to acquire turbidity models for dry and wet seasons. Upon validation, the best turbidity model for the dry (R2 = 0.59, RMSE = 0.60, MAE = 0.15) and wet (R2 = 0.49, RMSE = 1.22, MAE = 0.25) seasons produced acceptable results, hence, used to assess the spatial and temporal variability of turbidity in the lake throughout 2020. The analysis revealed that Lake Buhi is more turbid during the dry season than the wet season. Turbidity during the dry season is governed by its natural water flow, while it is heavily influenced by precipitation during the wet season.

River pattern influences the composition of small indigenous species (SIS) of fish in deltaic Rajbari district, Bangladesh

Bangladesh is endowed with diverse rivers providing huge ecosystem services, but the diversity status and the abundance of the small indigenous species (SIS) are not identical in all rivers due to the natural water flow regime and anthropogenic challenges. Therefore, the present study endeavors to elucidate the composition and conservation status of SIS fish from four rivers namely, the Padma, the Gorai, the Chandana and the Horai rivers of Rajbari District, Bangladesh. Data were meticulously collected through fish sampling in each season, field observations, focus group discussions, and individual interviews by using a semi-structured questionnaire spanning from May 2021 and April 2022. The number of SIS in the Padma, the Gorai, the Chandana and the Horai rivers of Rajbari were 60, 36, 33 and 26, respectively, whereas a predominant concentration of fishes was notably observed in the benthopelagic zone of these rivers. Among the 60 riverine SIS, 23 fish were common in the four rivers. Additionally, Cyprinidae (>30%) was observed to be the most abundant SIS in the studied rivers. The fishermen in the research area used seven major fishing equipment of which cast nets are the most common for catching fish species. The abundance of SIS during the rainy season was the highest for all the studied rivers than the other seasons and 12 SIS were available throughout the year. Notably, the least concerned SIS outnumbered the other categories whereas, more than 10% was under the vulnerable category in the four rivers. The leading threats to the fish diversity were pollution followed by illegal and overfishing, siltation, reduced depth, degeneration of rivers and others. Consequently, to safeguard the existing SIS, reducing human pressure, implementing fishing regulations strictly, establishing and administering fish sanctuaries, and raising public awareness can be helpful for the sustainability of aquatic resources in deltaic areas.

(Invited) Piezocatalysis for Treating a Massive Industrial Dye Solution and Hydrogen Production

As a fossil fuel substitute, among the various renewable alternative energy sources, hydrogen fuel is a clean energy source being developed in advanced industrial nations worldwide. Photocatalytic water splitting yields hydrogen through redox reactions underlying direct water decomposition. Although water splitting is a promising method of yielding clean energy from the sunlight without contaminating byproducts, sunlight is a desultory source of energy, which limits the amount of solar radiation owing to its dependence on time (day or night), geographical position, and season.Redox reactions remain one of the most promising methods of producing hydrogen and decomposing industrial wastewater. However, for most critical practical industrial applications, the robust light attenuation of wastewater results in meager quantum yield, thus significantly limiting the commercial applications of photocatalysis. Therefore, novel approaches to evaluating parameters, including cost-effectivity, high efficiency, and long-time stability, are highly desirable for developing next-generation catalysts. In particular, such technology would be up-and-coming for simultaneously producing hydrogen gas and decomposing industrial wastewater without light irradiation. This talk will report how 2D transition metal dichalcogenides can be used for piezocatalyts for highly efficient wastewater treatment of a massive industrial dye solution and hydrogen production without applied light irradiation by utilizing a closed-loop system with a low-frequency natural water flow. Our newly developed piezoelectrocatalysts system provides the first evidence of the effective production of hydrogen gas and the simultaneous decomposition of dye molecules in wastewater without light irradiation, thus providing a promising method for treating industrial wastewater and producing clean energy.

Numerical study of wake induced vibration(WIV) and energy harvesting characteristics under different stable conditions

In order to better capture energy from natural water flow, we designed a novel captive energy model using wake induced vibration (WIV) combined with multi-stable theory. The model consists of an upstream stationary square cylinder and a downstream vibrating circular cylinder. The multi-stable characteristics are achieved by controlling the horizontal distance (l) and vertical distance (d) between the tip magnet of the vibrating cylinder and the stationary magnets. We simulate the capture energy characteristics of the harvester for different stable conditions at 0.1 m/s-0.8 m/s (i.e., 1990 ≤ Reynolds number ≤ 15,923) using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The simulation results show that when fixing l = 0.020, d = 0.016 and d = 0.017 are bi-stable systems, and at the same time, it will be trapped in a potential well at a flow velocity of 0.1 m/s, resulting in a lower amplitude and vibration frequency. When d is fixed at 0.017 m, l = 0.021 and l = 0.022 are tri-stable systems with a wider flow velocity interval corresponding to its high amplitude. Different magnet positions affect the phase between the lift coefficients and displacements of the bluff body. At flow velocities from 0.1 m/s to 0.4 m/s, the energy harvesting effect of the with-magnet system is better than that of the non-magnet system.

Climate change adaptation through nature-based solution: examining the case of Thakurani Khal of Mongla Port Municipality, Bagerhat Bangladesh

PurposeUrban areas, especially in the coastal region of Bangladesh, face environmental degradation due to rapid urbanization, uncontrolled socio-economic activities and experiencing the adverse impacts of climate change. Nature-based solutions (NbS) as options for restoring, preserving, maintaining and elevating natural features or systems are becoming popular for reducing vulnerabilities caused either by natural hazards or human-induced activities. With this understanding, this study aims to explore the need of practicing NbS by studying the condition of a tidal canal (known as Thakurani Khal) and its peripheral areas of Mongla Port Municipality, a coastal and seaport town in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThis case study-based research uses multiple inquiries, including focus group discussions, pair-wise comparison, observation, GIS-based mapping, key informant interviews and secondary climate data review, to understand the spatial development of the area and community reactions to the changes in the urban environment.FindingsThe natural water flow of this canal is controlled by sluice gates that indirectly allowed the dweller to encroach its lands and convert the canal into a solid waste dumping area. These human-induced activities as well as the climate change-induced events (i.e. extreme heat, intensive and irregular rainfall, increased number of cyclones, etc.) have made the adjacent areas prone to waterlogging and drainage congestion. In this context, the revival of the original natural quality of the canal has been identified as an alternative to ensuring an adaptive urban environment.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of practicing NbS for developing urban resilience in the context of climate change.

An Ecosystem Valuation for Enhanced Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Kabul River Basin

An Ecosystem Valuation for Enhanced Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Kabul River Basin

Flow alterations due a constructed reservoir in the Menik Ganga basin, Sri Lanka

Natural water flows and their ecosystems are altered due to manmade hydraulic structures like dams. However, limited research on hydrologic alteration has been carried out in developing countries. This research explores the hydrologic alterations which occurred in the Menik Ganga basin, Sri Lanka due to the Weheragala reservoir constructed in 2009 for inter basin transfer. The hydrologic variations of the flow regime due to the construction of the reservoir was analyzed using Indicators of Hydrologic Alterations (IHA). For this purpose, we compared the calculated IHAs for streamflow at the Kataragama station (located downstream of Weheragala) during pre-construction (1990–2009) and post construction (2010–2019) periods. Also, the IHAs of simulated flows from the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model during 2010–2019 was compared with observed gauge discharge during the same period. The monthly observed flows in the “Maha” rainfall season (September to March) demonstrated a decreasing trend in post dam period with respect to pre dam period (highest decrease of 77 m3/s during October), whilst it showed an increasing trend (highest increase of 5 m3/s during August) in the Yala season (May to August) in the post-reservoir construction scenario. This was further visualized by comparing the indicators of the simulated flows with observed for post reservoir period, in which highest percentage differences occurred in June (− 4000% in 2016) and November (− 300% in 2010) for Yala and Maha periods respectively. Large alterations of the river flow due to the impoundment depicted by higher percentage differences. These alterations are extensively examined by other indicators as well. The fluctuations of flows have been decreased due to the construction of the reservoir which resulted in reductions of low and high pulses. The results are highly appealing to the authorities who are in water resources management to reach sustainable goals.

Numerical investigation on the effect of flexible vegetation in open-channel flow incorporating FSI

ABSTRACT The understanding and studying of the vegetation effect on the natural water flows is an important objective in modern scientific research regarding river management and restoration, with high environmental impact. Vegetation in the open-channel flow significantly affects the velocity of flow. In the present study, influence of the flexible vegetation on the flow characteristics of open-channel flow was resolved numerically using computational fluid dynamics. For the numerical study of the open-channel flow with flexible vegetation, fluid–structure interaction (FSI) is used. The obtained results were then compared with the numerical results of rigid vegetation. The influence of different parameters such as depth of flow, flow velocity, slenderness ratio of vegetation and density of vegetation were studied. It was found that incorporation of FSI in the analysis is essential to accurately predict the flow characteristics. It was also found that the simulation using FSI is more critical in case of submerged vegetation in an open-channel flow for all flow velocities.

Analysis of Hidden Danger in Open Water Swimming Competition

Open-water swimming is an exercise that can enhance the athlete's physical fitness. Even though different swimmers enjoy swimming in open water competitions, there are still safety consequences with this competition, and people must plan this hidden danger before the event. Athletes swim in open-water swimming competitions in lakes, rivers, and oceans. The difference between open-water swimming and traditional swimming in swimming causes much more uncertainty. This essay will take place on all the potential threats in an open-water swimming event. The essay will be analyzing in different aspects of the open water competition. First is the natural landscape, temperature, water quality, and water flow. All of these will affect the athlete's performance. Second, the emergency that can happen to the athletes. For example, body issues, cramps, or low body temperature. Third, the athlete's body condition, some of the athletes might have some body issues that do not fit this event, which will cause some additional problems for the hosts of the swimming event. Fourth, the ethics issues in the sporting event. With a sport that includes a big group of people attending it, there will be some unethical moves to get a higher rank.

Non-Equilibrium Bedload Transport Model Applied to Erosive Overtopping Dambreach

Bedload sediment transport is an ubiquitous process in natural surface water flows (rivers, dams, coast, etc), but it also plays a key role in catastrophic events such as dyke erosion or dam breach collapse. The bedload transport mechanism can be under equilibrium state, where solid rate and flow carry capacity are balanced, or under non-equilibrium (non-capacity) conditions. Extremely transient surface flows, such as dam/dyke erosive collapses, are systems which always change in space and time, hence absolute equilibrium states in the coupled fluid/solid transport rarely exist. Intuitively, assuming non-equilibrium conditions in transient flows should allow to estimate correctly the bedload transport rates and the bed level evolution. To get insight into this topic, a 2D Finite Volume model for bedload transport based on the non-capacity approach is proposed in this work. This non-equilibrium model considers that the actual bedload sediment discharge can be delayed, spatial and temporally, from the instantaneous solid carry capacity of the flow. Furthermore, the actual solid rate and the adaptation length/time is governed by the temporal evolution of the bedload transport layer and the vertical exchange solid flux. The model is tested for the simulation of overtopping dyke erosion and dambreach opening cases. Numerical results seems to support that considering non-equilibrium conditions for the bedload transport improves the general agreement between the computed results and measured data in both benchmarking cases.

Circular Water Management in Public Space—Experimental Feasibility Studies in Different Urban Contexts

Several studies highlight the risks related to the growing water crisis, worsened by the effects of pollution, which increasingly make water sources non-potable. The current water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) approach improves resource efficiency and implements urban livability by combining natural water flows with all the scales of the urban landscape. The logistic and operational management of water disposal/treatment and distribution requires performing service design according to cities’ physical and morphological features, starting from their architectural and landscape characteristics. This paper aims to prove that different landscapes can offer different inspirations and possibilities to imagine a WSUD-coherent system, fulfilling the integration requirements with the urban system. For this purpose, three case studies, differing by dimension, morphology, and urban typology, are analyzed, experimenting with circular water usage with no resource waste. This research proposes concrete actions such as conservation, restoration or addition of permeable surfaces, the installation of new accumulation and treatment systems, and the use of water-saving devices. Starting from redesigning the water system, they can also include punctual redevelopment interventions on the urban built environments and opportunities for network development with public administrations, private businesses, third-sector organizations, and end users. This experimentation has led to water savings of up to 80% of the current consumption scenario.