Perennial Rivers Research Articles

Assessment of metal contamination in sediments of a perennial river in India using pollution indices and multivariate statistics

Assessment of metal contamination in sediments of a perennial river in India using pollution indices and multivariate statistics

Anthropogenic and Climatic Factors Differentially Affect Waterbody Area and Connectivity in an Urbanizing Landscape: A Case Study in Zhengzhou, China

Urbanization alters the distribution and characteristics of waterbodies, potentially affecting both the habitat availability and connectivity for aquatic wildlife. We used Landsat satellite imagery to observe temporal and spatial changes in open-water habitats in Zhengzhou, a rapidly growing city in central China. We classified open water into six categories: perennial rivers, seasonal rivers and streams, canals, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. From 1990 to 2020, in 5-year intervals, we identified, counted, and measured the area of each kind of waterbody, and we used a model selection approach with linear regressions to ask which climate and anthropogenic drivers were associated with these changes. We also used Conefor software to examine how these changes affected the landscape connectivity for waterfowl. Over the study period, lakes and canals were the only waterbody types to show statistically significant changes in surface area, increasing by 712% and 236%, respectively. Changes in lakes and canals were positively correlated with the length of water pipeline in the city. The connectivity of waterbodies fluctuated over the same period, mirroring fluctuations in the perennial Yellow River. Ponds contributed very little to landscape connectivity, and the importance of reservoirs decreased over time. Conversely, canals played an increasingly important role in landscape connectivity over time. Counterintuitively, the connectivity of waterbodies increased in the built-up part of the city. Our results show that urbanization can have unexpected effects—both positive and negative—on the connectivity and area of open-water habitats. These effects are likely to be important for waterfowl and other aquatic organisms.

Climate Change Effects on Fish Passability across a Rock Weir in a Mediterranean River

Climate change represents a major challenge for the management of native fish communities in Mediterranean rivers, as reductions in discharge may lead to a decrease in passability through small barriers such as weirs, both in temporary and perennial rivers. Through hydraulic modelling, we investigated how discharges from a large hydropower plant in the Tagus River are expected to affect the passability of native freshwater fish species through a rock weir (Pego, Portugal), equipped with a nature-like fish ramp. We considered not only mean daily discharge values retrieved from nearby gauging stations (1991–2005) for our flow datasets, but also predicted discharge values based on climatic projections (RCP) until the end of the century (2071–2100) for the Tagus River. Results showed that a minimum flow of 3 m3 s−1 may be required to ensure the passability of all species through the ramp and that passability was significantly lower in the RCP scenarios than in the historical scenario. This study suggests that climate change may reduce the passability of native fish species in weirs, meaning that the construction of small barriers in rivers should consider the decreases in discharge predicted from global change scenarios for the suitable management of fish populations.

Effects of antecedent drying events on structure, composition and functional traits of invertebrate assemblages and leaf‐litter breakdown in a former perennial river of Central Apennines (Aterno River, Abruzzo, Central Italy)

AbstractBecause of global change and increasing anthropogenic pressures, non‐perennial rivers and streams are predicted to drastically increase in the European‐Mediterranean region. Some river basins already subject to reduced levels of available superficial flow may present a further reduction, with a significant increase in intermittence phenomena and complete drought of former perennial rivers. In this context, a sound knowledge of the ecological effects of increasing drying events on these watercourses may help to better predict impacts of the altered flow regime on structure and functions of freshwater ecosystems. In this paper, we assessed the long‐term response of invertebrate assemblages and ecosystems processes to antecedent drying events (drying memory) in a Central Apennine river (Italy). We demonstrated that compared to the perennial reach, the 7‐km downstream intermittent site, after more than 1 year from a complete superficial flow resumption, still conserved the ‘memory’ of past disturbance with marked differences in structure, composition and functional traits of assemblages which, in turn, negatively influenced the leaf‐litter breakdown process. Despite total abundance and taxa richness were on average higher at the intermittent site, antecedent droughts determined a decline of shredders and scrapers and an increase of collectors. In addition, some more sensible, semivoltine and rheophile taxa were replaced by generalist, multivoltine and more resistant taxa. Our findings confirm and extend the ‘drying memory’ hypothesis and suggest that irregular drying events in former perennial Apennine rivers may have dramatic long‐term effects on both structure and functions of lotic ecosystems.

Spatio-temporal variations in water quality, hydrochemistry and its controlling factors in a perennial river in India

The spatial and temporal variations in the hydrochemistry of the Sutlej river in the Indian Punjab were studied based on water quality parameters analysed during pre- and post-monsoon seasons of the years 2017 and 2018. The grab water samples were collected from the river using stratified random sampling and analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), carbonate (CO3−2), bicarbonate (HCO3−), chloride (Cl−), nitrate (NO3−), total hardness, calcium (Ca+2), sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) using standard methods. Spatio-temporal variations in the parameters used to evaluate the water quality for irrigation (electrical conductivity (EC), residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and sodium absorption ratio (SAR)) were also studied. In order to rate the composite influence of all the physicochemical parameters, water quality index (WQI) was computed. Spatial variations in WQI for drinking and irrigation purposes were studied using the inverse distance weighted method in GIS. Results showed that the river water was alkaline in nature, HCO3− and Cl− are the major anions, and Ca2+ and Na+ are the cations in the river water during both seasons. The regression analysis of EC with cations and anions showed that the regression coefficient was mainly significant with Ca2+ and HCO3−, irrespective of the season. The concentration of ions was not significantly affected by season, but it was higher along transboundary of the river. Total alkalinity of water was significantly (p < 0.05) higher during pre-monsoon than post-monsoon season. The EC, SAR and RSC values during different seasons showed that > 85% of the water samples were in good categories for irrigation purposes. According to grades of WQI for drinking purposes, the poor WQI was observed in 3.6%, 3.7% and 5.9% of the samples during pre-2017, pre-2018 and post-monsoon 2018, respectively. The poor water quality index for irrigation purposes was observed in 16.7% and 4.7% of the samples during pre-monsoon 2017 and 2018, respectively. The water quality index values for drinking and irrigation were higher (poor water quality) along transboundary of the river. The ratio of Ca2+/Mg2+, (Na+ + K+)/TZ+ and Ca2+ + Mg2+/(Na+ + K+) indicated both carbonate and silicate lithology contribute to hydrochemistry of the river besides anthropogenic factors. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that all the samples are of a similar origin across the river including transboundary, whereas cluster analysis resulted in the two main groups: pH and Cl in the one group, and EC along with the remaining cations and anions in the other group during pre-monsoon, but pH in the one group, and EC along with the remaining cations and anions in the other group during post-monsoon. The high concentration of Cl− is a signature of anthropogenic inputs in addition to the contribution of natural factors. These results suggest that the cultivation of crops on the soils along transboundary may cause the transfer of ions through the food chain to human beings affecting their health. Moreover, drinking of river water by inhabitants living along transboundary may affect their health.

Assessing the Effect of Land/Use Land Cover and Climate Change on Water Yield and Groundwater Recharge in East African Rift Valley using Integrated Model

Study regionEast African Rift Valley basin. Study focusWater availability in the rift valley relies heavily on the discharge from the highlands to rivers that run to the rift floor. This research explores the effect of Land use/Land cover (LULC) and climate change on water yield and groundwater recharge (WYGR) using coupled SWAT-MODFLOW, which integrates Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Newton Modular Finite Difference Groundwater Flow (MODFLOW-NWT). The LULC change was analyzed using artificial neural network-based cellular automata. New hydrological insightsThe dominant LULC is cultivated land and expanded by 5% to the forest and grassland areas. The average temperature and precipitation are expected to rise by 8–11% and 3–6%, respectively. Climate change affects the spatiotemporal distribution of WYGR significantly, while LULC change has a trivial effect. Under the baseline scenario, the recharge was 10% of the average annual precipitation, but climate change is projected to reduce it by 47–53%. Water yield reduction up to 48% and change of perennial rivers to intermittent are expected in the coming decades. The region will experience water scarcity, emerging mainly from climate change.

Accounting for flow intermittence in freshwater species distribution modelling

AbstractTo forecast species responses to environmental changes, it is crucial to understand drivers of species distribution acting at multiple spatial and temporal scales. While hydrology is acknowledged as a key driver for freshwater species, most studies have been limited to perennial river flow regimes when exploring species distribution in rivers. We developed a method to characterize stream flow to subsequently account for flow intermittence in species distribution models (SDMs). First, we used the hydrological Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate flow in the French Pyrenees at fine spatial grain and large spatial extent. Several metrics characterizing flow intermittence were subsequently included in a SDM along with topographic, hydrographic, climatic and land use variables. We applied this methodology to an extensive data set of the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper) presence in France. This amphibian is highly dependent on aquatic habitats, and its distribution could be mainly driven by hydrological and climatic variables. We found that 60% of the stream network of the study area is intermittent. Maximum air temperature and proportion of agricultural areas contribution in explaining species distribution were the most important (26.3% and 21.2%, respectively). Both variables negatively influenced the probability of presence of the Pyrenean brook newt. We also found a negative correlation with the frequency of zero‐flow events (13%), emphasizing the role of flow intermittence in driving aquatic species distribution. Our study provides new insights into fine‐grained hydrology in the Pyrenees and illustrates intermittence characterization and mapping methods that could be applied elsewhere.

Prediction of channel sinuosity in perennial rivers using Bayesian Mutual Information theory and support vector regression coupled with meta-heuristic algorithms

Support Vector Regression (SVR) combined with Invasive Weeds Optimization (IWO), standalone SVR, and Radial Basis Function Neural Networks are applied to estimate channel sinuosity in perennial rivers. With this aim, a dataset with 132 sinuosity data and related geomorphologic data, corresponding to 119 perennial streams, is considered. Bayesian Mutual Information theory is used to determine the parameters affecting channel sinuosity to reveal that bankfull depth affects sinuosity the most. Seven input parameter combinations for sinuosity prediction are considered, and in both training and testing stages, the SVR-IWO model $$\left( {R_{Train} = 0.959,RMSE_{Train} = 0.072, MAE_{Train} = 0.037, R_{test} = 0.892, RMSE_{Test} = 0.103, MAE_{Test} = 0.065} \right)$$ R Train = 0.959 , R M S E Train = 0.072 , M A E Train = 0.037 , R test = 0.892 , R M S E Test = 0.103 , M A E Test = 0.065 shows the best prediction performance while the standalone SVR model generated the results with performances of $$\left( {R_{Train} = 0.792,RMSE_{Train} = 0.158, MAE_{Train} = 0.141, R_{test} = 0.704, RMSE_{Test} = 0.163, MAE_{Test} = 0.151} \right)$$ R Train = 0.792 , R M S E Train = 0.158 , M A E Train = 0.141 , R test = 0.704 , R M S E Test = 0.163 , M A E Test = 0.151 . Model prediction uncertainty is quantified in terms of entropy for the three models considered, further confirming that the sinuosity set predicted by the SVR-IWO model is the closest to the observed set.

Modeling Impact of Climate Change on Surface Water Availability Using SWAT Model in a Semi-Arid Basin: Case of El Kalb River, Lebanon

Assessing the impact of climate change on streamflow is crucial for depicting the vulnerability of water resources and for identifying proper adaptation measures. This study used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate the impact of climate change on the streamflow of El Kalb river, a major perennial river in Lebanon. The model performance was tested for monthly flow at two stations under a nine-year calibration period (2003–2011) and a four-year validation period (2012–2015). The model results indicated satisfactory precision in fitting observed and simulated flow using various acceptable statistical indices. Future projections of climate change were obtained for three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) (2.6, 4.5, and 8.5). The model indicated that the average annual discharge of El Kalb River in the near future (2021–2040) will decrease by around 28–29% under the three RCP scenarios. End-of-century projections (2081–2100) indicated that the flow will decrease by 23%, 28%, and 45% under RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5, respectively.

Social change innovations, citizen science, miniSASS and the SDGs

Abstract The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) describe a course of action to address poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). More specifically, SDG 6 clarifies how water quality, quantity and access are crucial to human well-being, and yet human activities are compromising water resources through over-exploitation, pollution, as well as contributing to the spread of disease. Globally aquatic ecosystems are highly threatened and concerted efforts by governments and civil society to ‘turn the situation around’ are simply not working. Human-created problems require human-centred solutions and these require different ways of thinking and acting to those behaviour patterns that are contributing to the challenges. In this paper, we first consider causal approaches to attitude change and behaviour modification that are simply not working as intended. We then explore enabling responses such as citizen science and co-engaged action learning as more tenable alternatives. SDG 6 has a focus on clean water and sanitation for all. The SDGs further clarify how the extent to which this goal can be realized depends, to a large extent, on stakeholder engagements and education. Through stakeholder engagements and educational processes, people can contribute towards SDG 6 and the specific indicator and target in SDG 6.b – Stakeholder participation. Following a three-year research process, that investigated a wide range of participatory tools, this paper explores how the Stream Assessment Scoring System (miniSASS; www.minisass.org) can enable members of the public to engage in water quality monitoring at a local level. The paper continues to demonstrate how miniSASS can contribute to the monitoring of progress towards Sustainable Development Goal Target 6.3, by providing a mechanism for data collection indicator 6.3.2. miniSASS is proving popular in southern Africa as a methodology for engaging stakeholder participation in water quality monitoring and management. The technique costs very little to implement and can be applied by children and scientists alike. As a biomonitoring approach, it is based on families of macroinvertebrates that are present in most perennial rivers of the world. The paper concludes by describing how useful the miniSASS technique can be for addressing data gaps for SDG 6.3.2 reporting, and that it can be applied in most regions of the world.

The probability distribution of daily streamflow in perennial rivers of Angola

Hydrological observations in Angola are quite scarce and, as such, the water allocation process, one of the main components of water resources management, is commonly undertaken with a high degree of uncertainty. It is, therefore, vital to increase our understanding of the hydrological processes, namely the frequency distribution of daily streamflow, in this part of southern Africa and validate efficient methods that facilitate the extrapolation of information from gauged to ungauged catchments. All the components of this study were carefully designed to address all the above-mentioned goals. This was achieved with the modelling of 121 flow-duration curve samples observed in different parts of the country, including large datasets (e.g., 1954/55 to 1968/69) but mainly focused on the hydrological years of 1967/1968 and 1973/1974 and the implementation of regional frequency analysis based on the L-moments approach. The frequency distribution of daily streamflow was approximated with nine different probability distribution functions considering different subsets of the daily streamflow time series: (i) daily streamflow (ii) different subsets of daily streamflow divided into two ‘flows seasons’, wet and dry, (iii) and the previous subsets transformed with the definition of a thirty-day time lag, thereby reducing the serial dependency of daily streamflow and enabling the use of the L-moments approach. Overall, the results enabled two probability distribution functions to be identified able to provide a remarkable approximation to all the above-mentioned daily streamflow datasets (the four-parameter Kappa and three-parameter Generalized Pareto distributions). Furthermore, the regional frequency analysis supported the prediction of daily streamflow quantiles for eight test catchments with impressive accuracy (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient: μ = 0.86; σ = 0.10; Pearson correlation coefficient: μ = 0.97; σ = 0.02), clearly showing that this approach represents a sound alternative for the prediction of daily streamflow in ungauged catchments located in this region.

Remotely sensed applications in monitoring the spatio-temporal dynamics of pools and flows along non-perennial rivers: a review

ABSTRACT Non-perennial rivers (NPRs) account for more than 50% of the world’s river network and their occurrence is expanding. Some rivers that were previously classified as perennial have evolved to be NPRs in response to climate change and socio-economic uses. There is inadequate understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of flows and pools along these rivers due to lack of data, as a priority of river monitoring has been placed on perennial rivers. The current understanding and methods used for monitoring NPRs are mostly derived from perennial rivers perspective. This review paper examines challenges for collecting data on these hydrological attributes of NPRs using current methods. Furthermore, this paper provides an overview of the potential and limitations of using remote sensing data for monitoring NPRs. Remote sensing data are successfully used for monitoring wetlands and lakes, but little is known about their capabilities for monitoring pools along NPRs. Remote sensing has also been successfully used to estimate discharge of large perennial rivers; however, this has not been fully explored for NPRs. Remote sensing has the potential to extract more hydrological information that currently cannot be extracted using conventional in-situ measurement methods. With advancements, remote sensing technology could become useful for managing NPRs.

Flow intermittence alters carbon processing in rivers through chemical diversification of leaf litter

AbstractThe dry phase of intermittent rivers promotes the accumulation of leaf litter on various terrestrial and aquatic habitats. This environmental heterogeneity causes a chemical diversification of leaf litter by a range of physical and biological degradation processes acting across the various habitats. After flow resumption, the chemically diversified leaves are mixed and subject to continued decomposition downstream. We hypothesized that the chemical diversification of leaf litter during the dry phase would affect leaf litter decomposition under re‐established lotic conditions. Our laboratory treatments mimicking dry‐phase habitats caused a strong chemical diversification of leaf litter, which—upon combination in mixed litter bags—accelerated its decomposition in a perennial river reach. We suggest that intermittent rivers may act as hotspots of organic matter diversification, with potential implications for organic matter processing at the river‐network scale.

Using Bioacoustics to Examine Vocal Phenology of Neotropical Migratory Birds on a Wild and Scenic River in Arizona

Passive acoustic recorders have been used successfully as automated survey tools to detect terrestrial wildlife. However, few studies have monitored Neotropical migratory bird use of riparian forest habitat using this technology. Within dryland ecosystems, the forests along rivers support high bird diversity. Many bird species of conservation concern require these floodplain forest habitats for foraging, migration stop-overs, and breeding. Few studies have explored the use of acoustic records in riverine systems designated for conservation for their natural resource value via the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in the USA. Using acoustic recorders, we document vocal activity of four riparian-obligate species (Bell’s Vireo, Vireo bellii; Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra; Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechial; and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus) to determine species occurrence along a Wild and Scenic River. We established three study reaches along the perennial Lower Verde River, in the Sonoran Desert of central Arizona, USA. Nine acoustic recorders were used over the period of 80–120 days during the summer of 2018. We measured vegetation composition and structure in 100 m2 plots paired with acoustic recorders. Visualizing vocal activity showed that three species were calling and singing at each reach; whereas, one species, the cuckoo, had fewer recordings and occurred later in the summer. We demonstrate the utility of acoustic monitoring even when applied to rare birds in complex riparian habitats. This information is important for land management and conservation efforts concerning these species of interest and identifying important habitat features in Southwestern US riparian woodlands.

Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern United States

Riparian habitat in the southwestern United States has undergone substantial degradation over the past century, prompting extensive management and restoration of these critical ecosystems. Most restoration efforts, however, do not account for life history traits or riverine complexity that may influence genetic diversity and structure. Here, we use simple sequence repeat markers in four southwestern riparian species (Populus fremontii, Salix gooddingii, S. exigua, and Prosopis glandulosa) that occupy a geographically complex region to address four questions: (1) How is river connectivity related to genetic diversity and structure? (2) How do mating systems and dispersal mechanisms influence gene flow? (3) Is genetic diversity influenced by unidirectional water flow? (4) How do unregulated tributary and regulated river flows affect clonality and associated diversity? Our results identify five findings: (1) Patterns of genetic diversity and structure vary substantially across different species; (2) species with geographic distributions that include a large, perennial river exhibit the least genetic structure; (3) mating system, clonality, and seed dispersal are related to genetic structure; (4) genetic diversity is variable among species and populations, but does not increase or decrease unidirectionally; and (5) clonality and associated diversity does not differ along a regulated river relative to unregulated tributaries. Our multispecies approach to understanding how riverine complexity and life history traits influence genetic diversity and structure could be incorporated into management efforts to more closely match riparian species with their unique environments, thereby facilitating restoration success.

River flows affect the growth of a tropical finfish in the wet-dry rivers of northern Australia, with implications for water resource development

Freshwater is a critical input to estuaries but is under increasing demand to support upstream human activities. In this study, otolith biochronology was used to quantify the relationship between river discharge and juvenile growth rates of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in three regions of the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia. In all regions, river discharge had a strong positive effect on juvenile growth rates. Models were also developed which incorporated the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). SOI values corresponding to La Niña events had strong positive consequences for juvenile barramundi growth rates in all regions, and the intensity of positive wet season MJO pulses had a strong positive effect on growth rates in the perennially flowing river, but not the intermittently flowing rivers. The consequences of three hypothetical water development scenarios were estimated for the perennial river. The model predicted a 12%, 8% and 1% reduction in annual barramundi growth rates under proposed scenarios for 18%, 8%, and 3% reduction in river discharge, respectively. Fish growth is a robust, quantitative metric that can be monitored pre and post water resource development to identify the least impactful development scenario and monitor its compliance and success through time.

Altitude isotope effects in Mediterranean high-relief terrains: a correction method to utilize stream water data

ABSTRACT Quantification of the isotope altitude effect from precipitation allows the identification of recharge altitudes in high-relief areas. However, steep terrains frequently limit the use of this precipitation-based approach. Perennial rivers often provide easy, year-round access for water sampling. However, in high-relief regions rivers may not adequately represent regional precipitation isotope patterns because they integrate isotope signals along their course. This prevents the calculation of an altitudinal isotope gradient from river water samples alone. We present a study that shows how a river-based sampling approach served to determine the altitude effect. Replacing the original sample site altitude with the mean upstream catchment elevation as calculated from a digital elevation model allowed us to establish a plausible altitude isotope effect from stream water. The correction approach was verified independently using precipitation isotope data. This approach can potentially be transferred to other regions where precipitation sampling at various elevations is difficult to determine.

The Role of SADC in Transboundary Water Interactions: The Case of the Incomati International River Basin

Southern Africa is a water-scarce region with an inherent climatic variability and uneven distribution of perennial rivers, which limits the economic growth potential of the region and makes water a strategic resource. This puts water under the spotlight and begs the question how South Africa, eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and Mozambique co-operate in the Incomati river basin despite the challenges confronting them? This article explores how equitable utilisation, sustainable development and information sharing envisaged by the SADC revised water protocol are perceived by the Incomati river basin stakeholders in practice. Through constructivist institutionalism, the article foregrounds agency as an important element to understand transboundary water interactions, arguing that structure and agency are mutually constitutive. This enables a shift from methodological individualism to an appreciation that structure and agency each possess independent analytic qualities that evolve with time. In turn, this produces complex transboundary water interactions that are interconnected through a triad of structure, ideas and agency. The article draws its analysis from 43 interviews conducted with different stakeholders in the Incomati river basin, participatory observations, informal conversations, a review of literature and SADC official documents. Despite various measures in place to promote regional development and integration, power still permeates SADC water governance in a way that affects information sharing and equitable and sustainable water management. Taking power as an explanandum, the article finds that, to a large degree, the constructed transboundary water relations in the Incomati river basin do not acquiesce to structural power. Instead of being passive, stakeholders constantly negotiate and renegotiate ways of governing the shared river based on the context and preferences.

Impact of urbanisation on lakes-a study of Bengaluru lakes through water quality index (WQI) and overall index of pollution (OIP).

Bengaluru, widely known for its pleasant climate and IT activities, is one of the fastest growing cities of the world. It houses more than 200 lakes. Lakes are important in a city like Bengaluru which does not have a perennial river, thus is dependent on many lakes for both water supply and recreation. Water quality of these lakes is essential, as they are open spaces as well as interact with groundwater. In this study, ten lakes of three different subwatersheds-rural, semi-urban and urban were studied. Physicochemical analysis of the lakes was carried out. The water quality index was then computed using the weighted arithmetic method and overall index of pollution method. It is found that in the city of Bengaluru, urban subwatersheds host lakes of very poor water quality and need immediate attention. Also, the lakes in semi-urban watersheds must be protected to avoid further deterioration and protection of water bodies. The current study presents the lake water quality of three different types of subwatersheds and hence will be useful in understanding the effect of land use on water quality. It will be helpful for decision makers to take further action in protecting not only the land but also the water quality present in the lakes.

A holistic reliability system approach of a water distribution network in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Saudi Arabia, with no perennial rivers, is considered to be an arid land where water losses in the water distribution network (WDN) supply increase the need for sea water desalination. This paper provides a reliability model to enhance the WDN for a water pumping station in Saudi Arabia. The paper utilizes the fault tree analysis (FTA) reliability tool to mitigate water supply stoppages. In the case under study, the pump station utilizes two groundwater aquifers in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia to meet the raw water demand through a water distribution network (28 km-long pipelines). Data has been gathered from the maintenance history to estimate the system reliability based on the loss of water by which each component of the system is assessed on its contribution to the overall system reliability and water supply. The findings revealed that system availability can be improved by adding a new pump in the booster station which further enhances the availability of the system to 99.99% and saves the WDN more than 740,974.60 gallons of water loss per year. It is hoped that the paper's recommendations will enhance reliability practices in similar water network stations.