River Navigation Research Articles

Development of Digital Interface for Waterway Service Support Application in Amazonas

More than one-third of the largest freshwater basin on the planet is located within the state of Amazonas. As the region is crossed by rivers, waterway transportation assumes a role not only of locomotion, but of supply, communication, and connection between the municipalities. Despite the great importance that river navigation has, there were few technological advances applied to facilitate the undertaking of activities within the sector. Considering this context, this article intends to elaborate a proposal of a mobile application interface for buying and selling regional boat tickets. To carry out this research, the Project E project method (MEURER and SZABLUK, 2010) was applied to understand the structure of the ticket sales service and to develop a digital interface with functions that would collaborate with the execution and modernization of the ticket sales service. The result was an easy-to-navigate graphical user interface rated as good and excellent by the users who tested it.

Detect the Water Flow Characteristic of the Tigris River by Using HFC-RAS Program

The Tigris River has recently suffered from a significant decrease in water levels, in addition to the scarcity of drainage and the velocity of water entering the river from Syria, Turkey and Iran. These decreases in the levels leads gradually to drying of some parts of the banks, raising the level of the riverbed, and the appearance of dry areas in the middle of the river. This led to a decrease in the width of the river and hindering the movement of river navigation. Also, the decrease in water levels leads to an impact on the water levels needed by the liquefaction plants to secure the drinking water needed by the city of Baghdad. So, it is necessary to find a technique in which the flow characteristics of the Tigris River are revealed in periods of scarcity, in order to create planning solutions that increase the water height to levels that ensure uninterrupted water supply in the liquefaction plants all over the river. Therefore, this research aims to simulate the movement of water in the Tigris River to detect flow characteristics in times of scarcity by building a one-dimensional hydraulic model (for steady flow) using the HEC-RAS program. Where the simulation will be done based on the geometric data for the shape of the river, as well as the initial and boundary conditions that represent the levels and drainages of water for the river at periods of scarcity, in addition to identifying the values of the Manning coefficient. The model will produce results that are longitudinal and cross sections, flow charts, tables and values, on the basis of which planning solutions are proposed to raise the water level to the required level, restore the natural properties of flow, and examine the compatibility of the proposed solution with the reality of the situation. It was concluded that raising the water level would be by proposing an (Ungated Inline wirs) dam. The proposed dam was tested at a minimum level in times of scarcity, ensuring its ability to raise water levels to the height required for all liquefaction plants installed along the river that required a minimum level of 28.5 m.

Value-Focused Inland Waterway Infrastructure Investment Decisions

The United States inland waterway transportation system is comprised of 12,000 miles of navigable waterways that connect and move freight between 38 states and the global supply chain. When investing in inland waterway infrastructure, engineering managers should aim to maximize all benefits associated with the investment, including flood protection, water supply, hydropower generation, recreation, and environmental impact benefits. In this article, we formulate an initial qualitative value model for inland waterway infrastructure investment decisions, based on a value-focused thinking approach that enables engineering managers to holistically evaluate project investment alternatives. For circumstances involving limited resources, a portfolio optimization model is formulated to maximize the total value associated with project investments, while considering budget and minimally acceptable benefit constraints. To demonstrate an application of our approach, we present a case study based on the McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

A Novel Fitting Model for Practical AIS Abnormal Data Repair in Inland River

Affected by the environment of inland waterway, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) collects lots of abnormal data, which significantly reduces the inland river navigation performance using AIS data. To this end, this paper aims to restore the AIS data by repairing the lost data points. By analysing enormous abnormal AIS data, the abnormal data were firstly divided into three types, i.e., the erroneous data, short-time lost data, and long-time lost data. Then, a cubic spline interpolation method was employed to deal with the erroneous data and short-time lost data. Meanwhile, a least square support vector machine method was utilized to repair the long-time lost data. Finally, field experiments were carried out to validate the applicability of the proposed method, and it is shown that the fitting model can repair the AIS data with an accuracy of more than 90 %.

Bringing the desert to the Nile: Some thoughts on a Predynastic terracotta model

This article draws attention to an artefact in the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, that has thus far received little attention despite having been in their archive for nearly a century. The object (ROM 900.2.45) is a heavily reconstructed ter-racotta rectangular-based model with openings to one side and on top. Painted and incised figures decorate the sides of the object. This paper presents a fresh approach regarding this particular artefact by addressing three issues that are intended to provide an insight into the symbolism of desert and Nile hunting. Firstly, I discuss its identification as a “house”, proposing instead that it may well resemble a Predynastic boat cabin. Secondly, I discuss the iconographic interpre-tation, showing that the scene painted in its “narrow end A” is not a depiction of goats feeding their young, but rather a hunting scene. While this claim has been suggested by other Egyptologists as well, it is still possible to bring some new ideas to the discussion. Finally, I compare these findings with the available evidence and research conducted in the last few years to test this approach and propose an alternative interpretation to both the terracotta model and its painted scenes. This object can provide more information about a much-discussed topic : the apparent contradiction between desert hunting and river navigation.

The Mistake on the Snake: The Lower Snake River Dams

Congressman Mike Simpson’s proposal to remove the four federal dams on the Lower Snake River (LSR) has reenergized the longstanding debate over the future of those dams, their narrow benefits, and their substantial costs, particularly to Endangered Species Act-listed Snake River salmon. This article examines the LSR dams, their history and justification, their role in sending Snake River on a path toward extinction from which they have yet to recover, and their impending liabilities under the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts. The Simpson proposal, while arresting, is so freighted with spending on replacement power and river navigation improvements, for example, that its estimated $33.5 billion price tag seems wholly unrealistic. And its dam license extensions throughout the Columbia Basin and the litigation moratorium it would impose until the mid-21st century have generated such substantial opposition that enactment by Congress, in anything resembling its current form, will have to overcome the longest of odds. Still, given the imperiled nature of Snake River salmon and the considerable economic benefits that restored salmon runs could play in revitalizing the central Idaho economy, the proposal may serve as a beginning for Idaho’s elected officials and its public to focus on the advantages that restored Idaho salmon runs could play in revitalizing the central Idaho economy. Anything resembling the Simpson proposal should be welcomed as a considerable economic stimulus for the region.

Water Resources, Infrastructure Restoration, and Protection of the Upper Mississippi River Basin

The Upper Mississippi River flows approximately 2000 km from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Cairo, Illinois where it is confluences with the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi River. North of the confluence, numerous snags, sand bars, rapids, and other obstructions made the Upper Mississippi River travel difficult. This paper highlights how the geological and landscape resources of the Upper Mississippi River and tributary watershed were responsible for the successful economic development of this historically rich region of North America. Environmental challenges include an attempt to keep invasive species such as the Asian carp out of the rivers and lakes north of the Twin Cities. In an attempt to protect the Mississippi River resource, Environmental and Conservation groups have opposed continued navigation through Minneapolis and St. Paul and the planned Upper Mississippi River navigation infrastructure restoration by the United States Corps of Engineers including the upper and lower St. Anthony locks and dams. These Environmental, Conservation and Save the River groups are attempting to mitigate the historic highest and best use of the Mississippi River and adjacent watershed, navigation, and economic development, by having the urban river restored to the natural state.

Fighting with “the tyranny of Distance”: History of transport in Australia

Transport plays a vital role in the development of state of Australia. Transport can be compared with arteries of different industries of different types of economy. This infrastructure is especially important for Australia which has a great territory and low density of its population. That’s why the development of transport despite the remoteness of the continent from the Old World went parallel but sometimes even ahead of Europe. For the first time in Ukrainian science, an attempt has been made to investigate at the interdisciplinary level the formation of Australian state with the help of transport. Events are presented in chronological order because the very history of the discovery of the continent began from sailboats. Sailboat transport at the time of the discovery of Australia and the transportation of the first convicts, their supervising soldiers and administration together with free settlers from The Great Britain arrived on sailboats. The use of sailboats in transport along the coast of Australia is also clarified as well as hunting for whales, the future visits to the Pacific Islands and transportation from there valuable species of wood. The transition to steam shipping and later to motor shipping is distinguished, subsequently to motor shipping, innovative port changes of the coast of Australia for better floating and for better placement of cargo on steamers and their uploading taking into account the cost of human labour, of appropriate mechanisms and devices. Features of Australian river navigation are also considered. The development of land transport is studied. It is proved that the development of rail transport in the XIX st. became an important link in the transport system of Australia. Its advantages and obstacles which for many years stood in the way of development are allocated. The problems of different gauge in each Australian state are analysed and the difficulties of overcoming them are emphasized. Road transport and road construction have come out in Australia at a rapid space. It was found that road construction for Australian society was not only economic but also of great social importance because the soldiers who returned to their homeland from the First World War had their jobs on road constructions. The origin and development of aviation on the fifth continent are analysed. The figures of aviation designers are singled out. They pioneered aviation industry in Australia. Conclusions are drawn that this industry became dominant in Australia now.

INTEGRAÇÃO AMAZÔNICA PELA NAVEGAÇÃO FLUVIAL: DO TRATADO DE COOPERAÇÃO AMAZÔNICA À CRISE DA INICIATIVA PARA INTEGRAÇÃO DE INFRAESTRUTURA REGIONAL SUL-AMERICANA

O artigo dedica-se a analisar a importância da navegação fluvial para a integração regional amazônica. Com o desenvolvimento do direito internacional do meio ambiente, a Amazônia, cuja preservação torna-se objeto de interesse da humanidade, em razão de suas riquezas naturais, diversidade cultural e importância ecossistêmica. Como reação ao discurso de internacionalização, os Estados amazônicos subdesenvolvidos, liderados pelo Brasil, adotam o Tratado de Cooperação Amazônia, cujo propósito imediato é reafirmar a soberania territorial e estimular a cooperação entre si. Entretanto, o Tratado vai além, podendo ser identificado como base normativa para a integração regional. Para tanto, destaca-se a navegação fluvial, que, por sua vez, depende de investimentos em infraestrutura. A fim de suprir essa demanda, a Iniciativa para a Integração de Infraestrutura Regional Sul-Americana, vinculada à União das Nações Sul-Americanas, apresenta-se como alternativa multilateral de investimentos nesse setor. Contudo, a modificação no contexto político continental, nos últimos anos, marcado por um exacerbado conservadorismo, tem inviabilizado esta alternativa de integração amazônica.

Hybrid simulation to support interdependence modeling of a multimodal transportation network

The inland waterways in the United States (U.S.) transport approximately 20% of coal, 22% of petroleum products, and 60% of farm exports making these waterways a significant contributor to the U.S. multimodal transportation system. In this study, data of extreme natural events affecting the U.S. inland waterways are collected and used to predict possible occurrences of such events using a spatio-temporal statistical model. A simulation tool incorporating this model is developed to investigate the impact of waterway disruptions on the interconnected multimodal transportation systems. A case study on the lower Mississippi River and the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System along with the related highways is provided to illustrate the use of the simulation tool for operation simulation and interdependence modeling of the multimodal transportation network. This tool provides a flexible means for quickly evaluating the performance of such Interdependent Critical Infrastructures (ICIs) and assisting in decision making.

Settlement networks and river navigation in the Rioni—Western Georgia. From Strabo to Jean‐François Gamba and back again

AbstractBefore the advent of steam power and railroads, rivers acted as important highways for trade and transport, allowing for considerable reductions in the time spent moving people and goods inland from the coast. However, ancient written sources provide little information about how this transport was conducted in fluvial systems of local or regional significance, focusing instead on major rivers like the Nile or the Tiber. A good example of this is the Rioni River (known in ancient literature as the Phasis) in western Georgia, which functioned as a crucial route for communication and trade throughout history. Travel reports from 16th to 19th century describe in detail the navigation of this river. This contribution aims to use these sources to provide perspectives on how such a fluvial network might have functioned in antiquity. In addition to suggesting that a transport network must have needed a closely‐knit set of river stations to operate, the examination of these sources has important implications for the approach of archeologists to the study of anthropogenic activities in this riverine environment. It calls for a research methodology that goes beyond the site‐based approach currently followed by modern scholarship and explores riverine settlement patterns from a landscape and network perspective.This article is categorized under: Human Water > Human Water

Environmental Flows in the Lower Ebro River and Delta: Current Status and Guidelines for a Holistic Approach

Deltas are a particular type of estuarine system in which the dependence on river flow (water, sediments and nutrients) is very strong, especially in river-dominated deltas such as the Mediterranean ones, but environmental flow (e-flow) proposals for deltaic systems are scarce. The Ebro Delta is one of the largest wetland areas in the western Mediterranean and one of the most important estuarine systems in Europe. The aim of this paper is to review the state of the art regarding e-flows and to carry out a critical analysis of the proposals for the lower Ebro River and Delta, in order to highlight the possible environmental and socioeconomic impacts arising from the e-flow regime currently approved. Additionally, based on existing scientific information, methods to establish an e-flow regime that allows the maintenance of the main socio-ecological functions and values are discussed; including those functions and values for which not enough information is available. The study concludes that the currently approved e-flows are not suitable for maintaining most functions and values, as they would not prevent the proliferation of alien fish species and macrophytes in the river, the intrusion of the salt wedge in the estuary, the deficit of sediment/nutrient transport and the degradation of riparian habitats or the decline of coastal fisheries. Socioeconomic consequences on coastal fisheries, river navigation, salt water intrusion, sediment deficit, biodiversity, water quality, aquaculture and hydropower are also considered. Other e-flow proposals such as the proposed by the Catalan government would be more suitable to maintain the main socioecological functions and values of the lower Ebro River and Delta. Nevertheless, additional studies are needed to validate e-flows in some relevant aspects such as the capacity of the river to transport sediments to the delta to avoid coastal regression and mitigate the effects of sea level rise and subsidence, as well as the capacity of floods to control the spread of macrophytes. The lower Ebro River and delta is among the case studies where more quantitative and qualitative criteria to set e-flows with a holistic approach have been established.

Recent Budget of Hydroclimatology and Hydrosedimentology of the Congo River in Central Africa

Although the Congo Basin is still one of the least studied river basins in the world, this paper attempts to provide a multidisciplinary but non-exhaustive synthesis on the general hydrology of the Congo River by highlighting some points of interest and some particular results obtained over a century of surveys and scientific studies. The Congo River is especially marked by its hydrological regularity only interrupted by the wet decade of 1960, which is its major anomaly over nearly 120 years of daily observations. Its interannual flow is 40,500 m3 s−1. This great flow regularity should not hide important spatial variations. As an example, we can cite the Ubangi basin, which is the most northern and the most affected by a reduction in flow, which has been a cause for concern since 1970 and constitutes a serious hindrance for river navigation. With regard to material fluxes, nearly 88 × 106 tonnes of material are exported annually from the Congo Basin to the Atlantic Ocean, composed of 33.6 × 106 tonnes of TSS, 38.1 × 106 tonnes of TDS and 16.2 × 106 tonnes of DOC. In this ancient flat basin, the absence of mountains chains and the extent of its coverage by dense rainforest explains that chemical weathering (10.6 t km−2 year−1 of TDS) slightly predominates physical erosion (9.3 t km−2 year−1 of TSS), followed by organic production (4.5 t km−2 year−1 of DOC). As the interannual mean discharges are similar, it can be assumed that these interannual averages of material fluxes, calculated over the longest period (2006–2017) of monthly monitoring of its sedimentology and bio-physical-chemistry, are therefore representative of the flow record available since 1902 (with the exception of the wet decade of 1960). Spatial heterogeneity within the Congo Basin has made it possible to establish an original hydrological classification of right bank tributaries, which takes into account vegetation cover and lithology to explain their hydrological regimes. Those of the Batéké plateau present a hydroclimatic paradox with hydrological regimes that are among the most stable on the planet, but also with some of the most pristine waters as a result of the intense drainage of an immense sandy-sandstone aquifer. This aquifer contributes to the regularity of the Congo River flows, as does the buffer role of the mysterious “Cuvette Centrale”. As the study of this last one sector can only be done indirectly, this paper presents its first hydrological regime calculated by inter-gauging station water balance. Without neglecting the indispensable in situ work, the contributions of remote sensing and numerical modelling should be increasingly used to try to circumvent the dramatic lack of field data that persists in this basin.

Amazon Development and the Political Economy of Water

One of the main processes of politico-economic change in the Amazon Region today is the construction of large-scale water projects, especially for hydroelectricity generation and river navigation (associated with export-oriented agribusiness and mining). The article discusses resource grabbing and environmental injustices through a cultural, political economy framework to assess the main direction and the internal dimensions of development trends. Water projects are assessed concerning the contradictory advance of modernity, the ramifications of corrupted practices and the narrow basis of a prevailing technocratic and reductionist rationality.

Aspects on the use of GNSS technology in maritime and fluvial navigation

It presents the use of global navigation technology, NAVSTAR-GPS and GLONASS systems in maritime navigation and some aspects that are encountered in maritime navigation, using these systems. The use of GNSS technology in maritime navigation is beneficial and at the same time it can be used in the civil domain, the system which is eminently civil, being the Galileo European positioning system. Commercial vessels sailing on the seas and on the planetary oceans can be monitored and managed in real time, if the GNSS-type global positioning systems are used. The global positioning systems of the GNSS type include all the positioning systems, but especially those of the NAVSTAR-GPS, GLONASS, GALILELO, BEIDOU type. The advantages of using in the navigation of global positioning systems is unmatched and it makes sailing much more useful and safer on the seas and oceans of the earth. River navigation is a component of trade and water transport, which can be managed using modern means of navigation by satellite type GNSS, Romania participating with neighboring countries in different European programs. There is a brief introduction of the notion of global positioning system to the general mode and a specific appreciation of each global positioning system in part and to the general mode of GNSS global positioning systems. Important aspects are presented in the use of GNSS technology, in the maritime and related fields, the advantages of this technology in relation to the classical technologies and the judicious cooperation in the extreme cases between the two technologies. The sources of positioning errors in the use of global GNSS positioning systems and the methods by which they can be eliminated or reduced are presented. It presents the calculation of the navigation coordinates in different projection systems and the stages of transformation of the coordinates in the WGS-84 system, specific to the Navstar-GPS positioning system in different coordinate and projection systems. Maritime navigation is guided by specific methods, but lately, global positioning systems are a beneficial presence in the steering and navigation component of the world’s seas and oceans. Finally, conclusions and proposals regarding the judicious and beneficial use of the GNSS positioning system in navigation are presented.

Modeling of liquefied natural gas evaporation in mobile reservoirs

The paper presents the analysis of isothermal storage of liquefied natural gas within the conditions of river navigation. The effect of constructive and technological solutions on the safety and profitability of liquefied natural gas application as an alternative to petroleum products is studied. The technique principle consists in a cryogenic storage modeling based on the energy equation of the vapor and liquid fractions and comparative analysis of several options for transportation of liquefied natural gas by river transport. In consequence of the study results, data were obtained on the relationship between the insulation thickness and the degree of tank filling having an effect on transport characteristics. It was revealed that transportation of liquefied natural gas in gas-insulated storage facilities is technically possible and satisfactory by combining the optimal specific volume of cryogenic liquid in the tank and sufficient thickness of thermal insulation. The results obtained can be used in the development of autonomous floating containers with a large insulation thickness, which will be towed along rivers without the use of carrier vessels.

Propagation characteristics of ship waves in navigation tunnel and its influence on continuous navigation safety of ship

In parallel to the construction of navigable tunnels which is gradually put on the agenda in China, more and more navigable tunnels are bound to be built. However, the relevant technical support is still extremely lacking. The existing engineering design and construction only refer to the construction experience of various traffic tunnels or the inland waterway navigation regulations, which in turn creating a limitation that the influence of navigable hydrodynamic environment is not considered. Therefore, to fill in the gaps in the research on key technologies of ship navigation safety in navigable tunnels, the open-source package FUNWAVE-TVD based on completely nonlinear Boussinesq equation has been used to establish a numerical model, demonstrating ship travelling wave motion in navigable tunnels in linear canals. The model can help to determine the ship model by pressure source terms. The model size and research conditions are determined according to the inland river navigation code and existing engineering examples. The accuracy of the model is evaluated using numerical verification, grid convergence analysis and ship travelling wave stability. The temporal and spatial distributions of height and velocity of the solitary wave induced by ships in navigable tunnels are analyzed. The safety impact of ship travelling wave in navigable tunnels on continuous navigation is discussed. The results show that the model has a great ability to capture the propagation and evolution process of ship travelling wave in navigable tunnels. It is pointed out that large fluctuations are easily formed on both sides of the quay wall of the navigation tunnel and in the middle part. The multiple nonlinear regression equation containing the maximum solitary wave height η max, ship draught P , Fr , water depth, width of navigation tunnel and ship type is obtained. The equation shows that the maximum solitary wave height gradually increases with the increase of ship draught and Fr , but vice-versa with the increase of water depth, width and section coefficient of navigation tunnel. It is found that the wave velocity of the front solitary wave surface is in good agreement with the theoretical solitary wave surface equation. Taking the theoretical wave velocity of the solitary wave as the propagation velocity, the safe sailing distance of the ship during the continuous navigation, especially under the conditions of large speed and draught in existing navigation tunnels, is obtained. The novelty of this paper is serving as a reference and basis for the design of navigation tunnels in single-line straight canals and playing a role as a theoretical foundation for the formulation of any key technical standards or specifications for navigation safety of ships in navigation tunnels.

Avaliação e Proposta de Novas Obras de Engenharia Natural para Estabilização de Taludes Fluviais do Rio Taquari no Município de Estrela, RS

O Parque da Lagoa, localizado no baixo curso do Rio Taquari, tem sido um sítio experimental para aplicação de modelos biotécnicos, que visam estabilizar e revegetar taludes fluviais susceptíveis aos processos erosivos. O presente trabalho busca avaliar atributos geotécnicos, ecológicos, econômicos e estéticos de técnicas de engenharia natural implantadas na área do parque no ano de 2010. A partir do diagnóstico destas intervenções biotécnicas, é proposto um projeto de revegetação e estabilização de taludes fluviais com uso das técnicas de bioengenharia, visando mitigar a erosão e ausência de vegetação ciliar que coloca em risco o rompimento da Lagoa Maria Dresch. No decorrer dos anos os modelos biotécnicos aplicados na área do parque adquiriram maturidade ao estabelecer uma vegetação, garantindo estabilidade e proteção às margens do rio. A proposta técnica sugere o uso do material dragado do canal de navegação do rio para remodelagem dos taludes fluviais e a aplicação das técnicas de enrocamento, esteira viva e banqueta vegetada, por serem soluções viáveis com baixo custo e menor impacto ambiental valorizando fatores ecológicos e paisagísticos. A engenharia natural se apresenta como uma alternativa ambientalmente sustentável e os resultados comprovaram sua eficiência como facilitadora para desenvolvimento da vegetação ciliar, e como ferramenta para correção e diminuição dos processos erosivos ao longo dos cursos d’água.

Integrated hydrographic and oceanographic research is an integral part of the development of the scientific and technical potential of the marine sector and State security

The most important component of scientific and technical potential development of the maritime complex and the security of the state is an instrumental study of the marine environment, which is impossible without expeditionary cruises. Taking into account the world practice of conducting accompanying research of the marine and river environment, Ukrainian specialists and scientists in the field of hydrography and oceanography carried out a number of joint complex scientific research cruises in the waters of the Azov-Black Sea basin and on the inland waterways of Ukraine in 2018-2019. The main goal of these research expeditions was to improve the level of navigational and hydrographic support for the safety of sea and river navigation.

Narrative of Origin and Utopia in Lucrecia Martel’s Nueva Argirópolis

Abstract This article offers a reading of Lucrecia Martel’s film short Nueva Argirópolis (2010) in light of Domingo F. Sarmiento’s treatise Argirópolis (1850). Both Sarmiento’s text and Martel’s film address the question of landownership, river navigation, and the inequal distribution of territorial and national wealth. Nueva Argirópolis is one part of a cinematographic project that brought together twenty-five directors for the occasion of the bicentennial of the Argentine revolution. Martel’s eight-minute story takes as its point of departure the ideas of Sarmiento, one of the founders of the nation: through her fiction, she tells how original Argentine peoples adopted Sarmiento’s proposal. In speaking of her inspiration for the film, Martel refers to both her work and Sarmiento’s as bold texts that fall within the genre of science fiction. The present essay considers the reasons for the audacity of the proposals in both texts and, at the same time, why both were unsuccessful.