Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management

Management models are developed and solved that are based on the advective-dispersive density-dependent miscible flow and transport processes in the aquifer. Various conflicting objectives of aquifer management are considered in this study. Two optimization models incorporating multiple objectives of coastal aquifer management are formulated. These models are solved for a hypothetical three-dimensional aquifer system for transient flow and transport conditions. The obtained solution results demonstrate potential feasibility of using the embedding technique for the development of multiple-objective coastal aquifer management models. In general, a planned, spatially and temporally, varying pumping strategy, obtained as solutions of an embedded optimization model, is shown to be a viable management method for beneficial exploitation and salinity control of a coastal aquifer. The potential feasibility of these management models for evolving a transient spatially dependent pumping strategy to facilitate beneficial exploitation of the aquifer and to control or remediate contamination due to seawater intrusion is also demonstrated.

After Hurricane Emily struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina in August 1993, approximately 50 homeowners in the towns of Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras, N.C., elected to superelevate their houses to reduce the future risk of flooding. Insurance payments served as at least a partial source of funds in most cases. A survey of 30 homeowners from this group was performed in 1995 to determine the motivations, methods, and benefits of the floodproofing retrofits. Half of the homeowners had been flooded at least twice prior to taking action. Homeowners typically made decisions based on memory of prior flood events or advice from others, rather than predictions of flood elevations. Retrofit costs were typically $10,000–$14,000 (in 1993 dollars), representing roughly 15% of the mean assessed house value for the survey. Results question the adequacy of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the area and reveal costs and motivations for flood retrofits of existing residential structures in a coastal barrier island setting.

This paper presents an evaluation of the impacts of a three-year water conservation campaign conducted in Jordan by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. The campaign, which reached almost 45,000 individuals, was designed to create interest and promote information on the need to use water more efficiently in a country facing water demand and supply imbalances. To determine the campaign's effectiveness, an evaluation study was conducted that selected a random stratified sample of 482 individuals from six areas. Of the sample, 43% of participants were previously exposed to the campaign and 57% nonexposed. Focus group discussions on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices were conducted along with face-to-face surveys to complement the focus groups and provide statistical results. The techniques offered significant advantages through the ability of the participants to reach consensus on the issues. Data show that the campaign had increased knowledge of water issues and slightly affected attitudes; however, its effect on practices was insignificant. Interpretations of the results are presented and a list of recommendations for future campaigns is made.

The development of river basin policy and management plans involves a spectrum of concerned parties and organizations, only a small fraction of which are presented by technical professionals. Easily-used and highly-interactive computer simulations provide one means by which these individuals can develop a conceptual and intuitive understanding for the complex physical behavior of river systems. NileSim is a Windows-based simulator of the complete Nile River basin. NileSim was developed principally for the educational purpose of explaining complex river behavior and management to nontechnical people. The simulator has been developed in a cost-effective manner, making use of modern software development tools from electronic design automation. This has provided an accurate tool that is fast, graphically intuitive, and simple to use. The tool supports interactive experimentation with a simulated Nile River basin for users to learn by observation how that basin system works.

In order to mitigate the adverse impacts of urban drainage, storm-water detention ponds are commonly used in watersheds undergoing urban development. These ponds may occupy valuable land and involve initial construction, operation, and maintenance costs. The objective of land developers and/or municipalities is to minimize these costs while satisfying regional environmental regulations for runoff quantity and quality control. An optimization methodology is presented for determining the design parameters (storage volume, release rate, and pond depth) of a single storm-water management pond. The methodology is extended, using a dynamic programming procedure, to a multiple parallel catchment system (each with a single detention pond). The least-cost values of pond design variables are subjected to system performance constraints, in the form of specified levels of runoff and pollution control at the outfall to a receiving water. The model inputs are statistics of meteorologic records, catchment hydrological parameters, land and construction costs, and permissible pond depth ranges. The model output provides optimal (least-cost) values of design variables for desired levels of runoff and pollution control.