Nilgun B. Harmancioglu

Integration of GIS with USLE in Assessment of Soil Erosion

A Geographic Information System (GIS) has been integrated with the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) model in identification of rainfall-based erosion and the transport of nonpoint source pollution loads to the Gediz River, which discharges into the Aegean Sea along the western coast of Turkey. The purpose of the study is to identify the gross erosion, sediment loads, and organic N loads within a small region of the Gediz River basin. Similar studies are available in literature, ranging from those that use a simple model such as USLE to others of a more sophisticated nature. The study presented here reflects the difficulties in applying the methodology when the required data on soil properties, land use and vegetation are deficient in both quantity and quality, as the case is with most developing countries.

Integrated Approach to Environmental Data Management Systems

I. Introduction. II. Objectives, Constraints and Institutional Aspects of Environmental Data Management. III. Design of Data Collection Networks. IV. Physical Sampling and Presentation of Data. V. Data Processing and Reliability Considerations. VI. Statistical Sampling and Analysis. VII. Environmental Databases. VIII. Transfer of Data Into Information for Environmental Decision Making. IX. Conclusions and Recommendations. X. Case Studies.

Sustainability Issues in Water Management

In the 1992 Rio World Summit on Environment and Development/UNCED), water resources are indicated to remain at the core of sustainable development and, thus, they are to be managed and developed on a sustainable basis. Sustainability is a philosophical concept and thus difficult to measure. Yet, we need to describe it on rather precise terms to assess whether our water management practices are sustainable and to ensure sustainability in decision making for management. To this end, a number of sustainability criteria have been defined, based on quantifiable measures, without overlooking immeasurable aspects of sustainable development. This paper considers economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability as the basic criteria to be pursued in evaluating how effective our water management plans are in achieving sustainability. On the other hand, actual case studies are needed to test the usefulness of selected criteria by using computer-based interactive optimization and simulation models with associated databases embedded into a decision support system (DSS). The study herein intends to present such a case study based on economic, social and environmental criteria to assess sustainability in management of the Gediz River Basin in Turkey. Various management scenarios developed for the basin are evaluated within a DSS while ensuring multi-stakeholder involvement in defining the three sustainability criteria. The case study is a result of the analyses carried out in SMART (Sustainable Management of Scarce Resources in the Coastal Zone) and OPTIMA (Optimization for Sustainable Water Resources Management) projects funded respectively by the 5th and 6th Framework Programmes of the European Union.

VERSATILE USES OF THE ENTROPY CONCEPT IN WATER RESOURCES

The concept of entropy, which originated in classical thermodynamics, has found versatile uses in hydrology and water resources. The investigations in one group of applications basically rely on the concept of “thermodynamic entropy”, where problems associated with river morphology and river hydraulics are handled by a rather non-probabilistic approach. The second group of studies use the concept of “informational entropy” within a probabilistic context to define uncertainties in hydrologic variables, hydrologic systems and their models, and parameters of probability distribution functions. Although it has a very short history in hydrology and water resources, informational entropy has found a wider range of applications in this field, as compared to the thermodynamic entropy. The presented paper discusses the versatile uses of informational entropy in water resources, summarizing the progress obtained so far in developing the concept into a widely accepted technique. Besides the already covered areas of application, new fields where entropy can be used effectively are proposed to cover basically problems in environmental engineering. In view of current research results, the merits and limitations using entropy in water resources engineering problems are discussed, followed by the conclusion that there is a definite need for further investigations so that entropy becomes a principal technique in hydrology and water resources.

Integrated technologies for environmental monitoring and information production

Preface. List of Contributors. I: Introduction. Integrated Data Management: Where are We Headed? N.B. Harmancioglu. The Conversion of Data into Information for Public Participation in Decision Making Processes M.B. Abbott. Challenges in Transboundary and Transdisciplinary Environmental Data Integration in a Highly Heterogeneous and Rapidly Changing World T. Maurer. Information Technology and Environmental Data Management M. Santos. II: Objectives and Institutional Aspects of Environmental Data Management. Information-Integration-Inspiration P. Geerders. Ocean Teacher: A Capacity Building Tool for Oceanographic Data and Information Management G. Reed. III: Design of Data Collection Networks. Environmental Monitoring Time Scales: From Transient Events to Long-Term Trends P.H. Whitfield. Regional Streamflow Network Analysis Using the Generalized Least Square Method: A Case Study in the Kizilirmak River Basin A.U. Sorman. Automated Water Quality Monitoring in Water Distribution Networks Y.A. Papadimitrakis, S.D. Ozkul. IV: Statistical Sampling. Uncertainty in Environmental Analysis V.P. Singh, et al. Physics of Environmental Frequency Analysis W.G. Strupczewski, et al. Assessment of Outliers in Statistical Data Analysis B. Onoz, B. Oguz. V: Physical Sampling and Presentation of Data. Modern Data Types for Environmental Monitoring and Water Resources Management G.A. Schultz. Assessing the Applicability of Hydrologic Information from Radar Imagery F.P.de Troch, et al. Integrated Satellite Airborne Technology for Monitoring Ice Cover Parameters and Ice-Associated Forms of Seals in the Arctic V.V. Melentyev, et al. VI: Environmental Databases. Integrated Application of United Kingdom National River Flow and Water Quality Databases for Estimating River Mass Loads I.G. Littlewood. Integrated Multidisciplinary Marine Environmental Databases V.L. Vladimirov, et al. Regional Environmental Changes: Databases and Information K.A. Karimov, R.D. Gainutdinova. Environmental Health Indicators in Europe: A pilot Project D. Dalbokova, M. Krzyanowski. VII: Data Processing, Analysis and Modeling. Downscaling of Continental-Scale Atmospheric Forecasts to the Scale of a Watershed for Hydrologic Forecasting M.L. Kavvas, et al. Upscaling Surface Flow Equations Depending upon Data Availability at Different Scales G. Tayfur. Integration of Intelligent Techniques for Environmental Data Processing E. Charou, et al. Integrated Use of Monitoring and Modeling in Water Resources Research G. Mendicino. VIII: Remote Sensing and GIS. DBMS/GIS Applications in Integrated Marine Data Management N.N. Mikhailov, A.A. Vorontsov. The Use of Satellite Remote Sensing Data in Numerical Modeling of the North Pacific Circulation V. Kuzin, et al. Application of GIS Technology in Hydrometeorological Modeling A. Vorontzov, et al. Satallite Observation of Aral Sea S.V. Stanichny, et al. Remote Sensing of the Lacustrine Environment: Data Sources and Analysis S.V. Semovski. IX: Transfer of Data into Information. From Data Management to Decision Support K. Fedra. Urban Drainage, Development Planning and Catchment Flood Management GIS Contrasts in the U.K. J.C. Packman. Metadata as Tools for Integration of Environmental Data and Information Production E. Vyazilov, et al. Perspective Decisions and Examples on the Access and Exchange of Data and Information Products Using Web and XML Application

Environmental Data Management

From the Publisher: Two basic tools for integrated management of the environment are modeling and environmental data. Both tools were available and valid in the past; however, the recent requirements for integrated environmental management have also led to a significant evolution of both modeling procedures and data management systems. Regarding these advances, current literature provides vast amounts of studies on modeling of different environmental processes. However, issues related to data management systems are barely touched in a comprehensive framework. Data requirements and data availability are mentioned merely as subtopics in most environmental studies although it is well recognized that data constitute the basis for all environmental management activities. In particular, there is no book as yet published that focuses exclusively on data management systems. In this respect, the present book fills in an important gap by covering various aspects of environmental data management in a systematic approach. This volume will be useful to faculty members, researchers, professional engineers, planners and managers, and graduate students, who are involved in environmental management, data collection and dissemination, and information retrieval. It will as well be of interest to research and data centres, international programmes and organizations related to environmental management.

Water Quality Monitoring and Network Design

In recent years, shortcomings of both the available data on water quality and the existing networks have led designers to focus more critically on the design procedures used. Within this respect, this chapter addresses the prevailing problems associated with water quality monitoring networks and discusses current attempts towards improvement of existing networks.

Assessment of the Entropy Principle as Applied to Water Quality Monitoring Network Design

With respect to design of water quality monitoring networks, the entropy principle can be effectively used to develop design criteria on the basis of quantitatively expressed information expectations and information availability. Investigations on the application of the entropy method in monitoring network design have revealed promising results, particularly in the selection of technical design features such as monitoring sites, time frequencies, variables to be sampled, and sampling duration. Yet, there are still certain problems that need to be overcome so that the method can gain wide acceptance among practitioners. The presented study discusses the advantages as well as the limitations of the entropy method as applied to the design of water quality monitoring networks.

APPLICATION OF THE ENTROPY CONCEPT IN DESIGN OF WATER QUALITY MONITORING NETWORKS

The design of water quality monitoring networks is still a controversial issue despite the variety of methodologies proposed. Existing networks are marked with unsolved problems, and the data collected are often of a “messy” character. The basic difficulty lies in the lack of a precise definition for “information” expected from and produced by a network so that it is fairly difficult to assess the efficiency of monitoring practices. The same problem prevails in the evaluation of cost- effectiveness of a network where costs are easy to estimate, but where benefits are often described indirectly in terms of other parameters. In essence, benefits of monitoring can only be measured by means of the information conveyed by collected data. Since no design methodology up-to-date has provided a quantitative measure of information, benefits-of monitoring networks still remain as unquantifiable parameters in the decision making process.

The Need for Integrated Approaches to Environmental Data Management

The paper presented focuses on basic needs for data management and for integration of efforts towards information production as required by sound environmental decision making. Need for integrated approaches is indicated between: (a) each step of the data management system; (b) different disciplines involved in environmental monitoring; and (c) different countries so as to facilitate international exchange of information for the solution of global environmental problems.