Usama F.A. Karim

Shatt al Arab River system under escalating pressure: a preliminary exploration of the issues and options for mitigation

ABSTRACT This paper provides a broad description of the current state of hydrological and geographical characteristics of the Shatt al Arab River (SAR), and analyses the severe decline in water quantity and escalating levels of salinity. The analyses cover SAR as well as all contributing rivers and Mesopotamian Marshlands, which is essential to present a holistic picture of the issues. The analyses are based on the most recent data, though limited, on water availability, water resources development and management infrastructure, and water quality status. The study shows that the water inflows have significantly reduced and the water quality status has deteriorated to alarmingly high levels, especially from Basra to the river mouth. The crisis can only be averted through the cooperative water management initiatives taken by all the riparian countries, which require a paradigm shift from the current approach of unilateral water management planning to international cooperation and management on the shared water resources. The crisis mitigation strategies should find ways of increasing inflows and improving water quality from the upstream source rivers. At the same time, local measures are required to avoid drainage of poor-quality domestic and industrial effluents and highly saline water from the marshes into the SAR. These efforts should be supported by sound scientific information, which is also limited at the moment.

Anthropogenic and tidal influences on salinity levels of the Shatt al-Arab River, Basra, Iraq

ABSTRACT Understanding the salinity variation caused by a combination of anthropogenic and marine sources is important for water resource management in heavily used rivers impacted by tidal influence. A quantitative analysis of intra-annual variability of salinity levels was conducted in the Shatt al-Arab River. Based on hourly records during 2014, the results showed high spatiotemporal variability in the range of 0.2–40.0 ppt. Similarities in salinity dynamics were used to divide the river course into four distinct spatial units to guide respective management actions. Salinity dynamics are influenced by different sources of saline water inflows and withdrawals associated with irrigation, industrial and municipal waste, marshes and by seawater intrusion. Adapting a simple interpolation approach, the measured distance of seawater intrusion was 80 km upstream the river mouth. Continuous monitoring of water quality can localize and assess the relative impact of the various salinity sources at different times. Managing seawater intrusion and any local effects should take into account variations in quantity and quality of irrigation return flows and wastewater discharges.

Simulation and video software development for soil consolidation testing

The development techniques and file structures of CTM, a novel multi-media (computer simulation and video) package on consolidation and laboratory consolidation testing, are presented in this paper. A courseware tool called Authorware proved to be versatile for building the package and the paper shows in details how the file structure of CTM is implemented within Authorware. In the audio-visual parts of the package background information, animations on consolidation theory and practice as well as standard and large-scale model consolidation tests, are shown. Running the package in a multi-user examination-type setting proved to be effective for learning and control of the learning process. Content-oriented multiple-choice questions on the theoretical and professional aspects of the test are posed, and users response is evaluated and reported on log files. Student users have responded positively to this development indicating minor future improvements.

Analysis of Possible Actions to Manage the Longitudinal Changes of Water Salinity in a Tidal River

In previous studies we have ascertained that inflows and seawater intrusion in the Shatt al-Arab River (SAR) are two key physical factors behind fluctuating and sharply escalating salinities observed in recent years. Such levels require a series of countermeasures and investigative studies to translate physical factors into a salinity dynamics model to understand the problem and its impact as these factors vary in location, time and quantity. A one-dimensional hydrodynamic and salt intrusion numerical model was applied to simulate the complex salinity regime in the SAR based on hourly time-series data for the year 2014. The model was used to analyse the impact of different management scenarios on salinity under different conditions. The results show a high correlation between seawater intrusion and river discharge. Increased use of water upstream and local water withdrawals along the SAR will increase seawater intrusion and salinity concentrations. Improving the quantity and quality of the upstream freshwater sources could reduce salinity levels. Discharging the drainage water into the river could be used to counteract the salt intrusion, considering that its location affects both the salinity distribution and extent. A scenario analysis based on a numerical model constructed for the longitudinal salinity variation associated with different sources in a tidal regime, can efficiently screen alternative water management strategies.

Optimization of water allocation in the Shatt al-Arab River under different salinity regimes and tide impact

ABSTRACT Wastewater effluents from irrigation and the domestic and industrial sectors have serious impacts in deteriorating water quality in many rivers, particularly in areas under tidal influence. There is a need to develop an approach that considers the impact of human and natural causes of salinization. This study uses a multi-objective optimization–simulation model to investigate and describe the interactions of such impacts in the Shatt al-Arab River, Iraq. The developed model is able to reproduce the salinity distribution in the river given varying conditions. The salinity regime in the river varies according to different hydrological conditions and anthropogenic activities. Due to tidal effects, salinity caused by drainage water is seen to intrude further upstream into the river. The applied approach provides a way to obtain optimal solutions where both river salinity and deficit in water supply can be minimized. The approach is used for exploring the trade-off between these two objectives.

A Measurable Classification System for Non-Calcareous Marine Soils

In this paper a practical engineering classification system for non-calcareous marine soils is proposed as an alternative to BS-5930 and ASTM-D2487. The system is based upon measurable data furnished by Atterberg limits and particle size distributions. This system is applied by means of simple flow charts for naming the main soil type (MST), the secondary soil type (SST) and the soil group symbol. These flow charts are easily adaptable in computer software and can be extended to include more categories. A total of 46 soil classes are possible in the new system. This paper also addresses differences between BS, ASTM and the new system and suggests consistency description criteria for fine and coarse grained soils. The system proposed in this paper is currently adopted by Fugro-McClelland Engineers (FME), The Netherlands in offshore soil investigations.