Graph-based river network analysis for rapid discovery and analysis of linked hydrological data

Author(s):  
Matt Fry ◽  
Jan Rosecký

<p>Hydrological analyses generally require information from locations across a river system, and knowledge on how these locations are linked within that system. Hydrological monitoring data e.g. from sensors or samples of the status of river flow and water quality, and datasets on factors influencing this status e.g. sewage treatment input, riparian land use, lakes, abstractions, etc., are increasingly available as open datasets, sometimes via web-based APIs. However, retrieving information, for data discovery or for direct analysis, based on location within the river system is complex, and is therefore not a common feature of APIs for hydrological data.</p><p>We demonstrate an approach to extracting datasets based on river connectivity using a digital river network for the UK, converted to a directed graph, and the python networkX package. This approach enables very rapid identification of upstream and downstream reaches and features for sites of interest, with speeds suitable for on-the-fly analysis. We describe how such an approach could be deployed within an API for data discovery and data retrieval, and demonstrate linking data availability information, capturing observed properties and time series metadata, from large sensor networks, in a JSON-LD format based on concepts drawn from SSN/SOSA and INSPIRE EMF. This approach has been applied to identify up- and downstream water quality monitoring sites for lakes within the UK Lakes Database for nutrient retention analysis, and production of hierarchical datasets of river flow gauging stations to aide network understanding.</p>

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 97-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lepono ◽  
H.H. Du Preez ◽  
M. Thokoa

Water quality is of prime importance to Rand Water’s core business of ensuring a reliable supply of good quality drinking water to more than 10 million people. Rand Water has, therefore, implemented a water quality monitoring programme of the source water as well as the drinking water produced. The establishment of the Lesotho Highlands Water Transfer scheme necessitated the expansion of the monitoring programme. In 1996, Rand Water and Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) signed an agreement to jointly develop an extensive water quality monitoring programme for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). Prior to this agreement, monitoring was mainly undertaken by consultants on behalf of LHDA in the main feeder rivers within the Katse Dam catchment (donor system). On the recipient system (Ash/Liebenbergsvlei), extensive physical and chemical monitoring was undertaken by Rand Water and Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). Biological monitoring was however only carried out superficially prior to the release of water. Information gained from carrying out biological and chemical assessments clearly indicates that the water from LHWP has negatively impacted on the biological communities in the recipient system. The importance of detailed before and after biological and physio-chemical monitoring of both donor and recipient systems is emphasised.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bowes ◽  
Linda K. Armstrong ◽  
Sarah A. Harman ◽  
Heather D. Wickham ◽  
Peter M. Scarlett ◽  
...  

Abstract. The River Thames and 15 of its major tributaries have been monitored at weekly intervals since March 2009. Monitored determinands include major nutrient fractions, anions, cations, metals, pH, alkalinity and chlorophyll a., and linked to mean daily river flows at each site. This catchment-wide biogeochemical monitoring platform captures changes in the water quality of the Thames basin during a period of rapid change, related to increasing pressures (due to a rapidly growing human population, increasing water demand and climate change) and improvements in sewage treatment processes and agricultural practises. The platform provides the research community with a valuable data and modelling resource for furthering our understanding of pollution sources and dynamics, and interactions between water quality and aquatic ecology. Comparing Thames Initiative data with previous (non-continuous) monitoring data sets from many common study sites, dating back to 1997, has shown that there have been major reductions is phosphorus concentrations at most sites, occurring at low river flow, and these are principally due to reduced loadings from sewage treatment works. This ongoing monitoring programme will provide the vital underpinning environmental data required to best manage this vital drinking water resource, which is key for the sustainability of the city of London and the wider UK economy. The Thames Initiative data set is freely available from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology's Environmental Information Data Centre at doi:10.5285/e4c300b1-8bc3-4df2-b23a-e72e67eef2fd.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 3550
Author(s):  
David Honek ◽  
Milena Forejtníková ◽  
Miloš Rozkošný ◽  
Aleš Vyskočil

This paper provides a detailed look into the historical development of the water supply system of a big industrial city and its impact on the river environment and needs of the wastewater treatment system. The city of Brno, Czech Republic, was chosen for this study because it has a long history in the field of water supply, and the city has changed rapidly over the last 200 years. The city’s development necessitated an adaptation of drinking water sources, most significantly the use of the Březová nad Svitavou facility, which resulted in a change of condition of the Svitava River. The notable decrease in river flow, aided by industrial development of settlements within the Svitava River catchment between 1850 and 1950, strongly contributed to the spread of river pollution. However, the construction of wastewater treatment plants during recent decades led to a restoration of river quality and, consequently, of the entire environment of the Svitava River catchment. This paper also presents a view on activities connected with the long term surface water quality monitoring and improvement with regard to water quality conditions in spring areas and the river network influenced by the water supply system.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriane Marques Pimenta ◽  
Leonardo Marques Furlanetto ◽  
Edélti Faria Albertoni ◽  
Cleber Palma-Silva

AIM: This study characterized the water quality of the lotic areas of the Rio das Antas (Antas River)influenced by the construction of the Monte Claro hydroelectric plant (South Brazil), a run-of-the-river reservoir. METHODS: To assess the water quality, we selected four sampling points based on the results obtained in the water-quality monitoring program performed by CERAN (the Rio das Antas Energetic Company) in the pre-filling (2002-2004) and post-filling (2005-2008) periods. The river flow was monitored during both of the periods. Seasonal samplings were conducted, and alkalinity, chlorophyll a, total and fecal coliforms, conductivity, color, BOD, COD, total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, ammoniacal nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids, suspended solids, sulfates, temperature and turbidity were evaluated. The results were interpreted according to the Brazilian Environmental Council's Water Quality Index, Trophic State Index and CONAMA Resolution 357/05. To verify the occurrence of alterations before and after the plant operation, t-tests were performed. RESULTS: Significant changes in water quality were not observed after the impoundment. The permanence of the characteristics of the natural hydrography was important for maintaining the water quality. The decline of the water quality in a stretch with reduced flow was caused by Burati stream, a tributary containing high concentrations of nutrients and fecal coliforms. CONCLUSIONS:The Monte Claro hydroelectric plant did not alter the water quality of the Antas River. The small reservoir resulting from the plant project favors the maintenance of the water quality of the river and does not favor eutrophication. Attention should be given to Burati stream, a tributary of the Antas River, regarding its high nutrient and coliform content.


1986 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-417
Author(s):  
J A Tetlow ◽  
D T E Hunt

Abstract The development of river water quality monitoring in the United Kingdom and the parallel development of analytical quality control (AQC) procedures within the UK water industry are described. Some results are presented for a sequential scheme of AQC which seeks to ensure comparability of analytical results obtained by different laboratories. The problems and advantages of such a scheme are examined, and future developments in nationally coordinated AQC in the water industry are discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1637-1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bowes ◽  
Linda K. Armstrong ◽  
Sarah A. Harman ◽  
Heather D. Wickham ◽  
David J. E. Nicholls ◽  
...  

Abstract. The River Thames and 15 of its major tributaries have been monitored at weekly intervals since March 2009. Monitored determinands include major nutrient fractions, anions, cations, metals, pH, alkalinity, and chlorophyll a and are linked to mean daily river flows at each site. This catchment-wide biogeochemical monitoring platform captures changes in the water quality of the Thames basin during a period of rapid change, related to increasing pressures (due to a rapidly growing human population, increasing water demand and climate change) and improvements in sewage treatment processes and agricultural practices. The platform provides the research community with a valuable data and modelling resource for furthering our understanding of pollution sources and dynamics, as well as interactions between water quality and aquatic ecology. Combining Thames Initiative data with previous (non-continuous) monitoring data sets from many common study sites, dating back to 1997, has shown that there have been major reductions in phosphorus concentrations at most sites, occurring at low river flow, and these are principally due to reduced loadings from sewage treatment works (STWs). This ongoing monitoring programme will provide the vital underpinning environmental data required to best manage this vital drinking water resource, which is key for the sustainability of the city of London and the wider UK economy. The Thames Initiative data set is freely available from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology's (CEH) Environmental Information Data Centre at https://doi.org/10.5285/e4c300b1-8bc3-4df2-b23a-e72e67eef2fd.


1993 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brij Gopal ◽  
Malavika Sah

The River Yamuna, originating in the Himalayas, is the largest tributary of the River Ganga (Ganges) into which it flows at Allahabad. Its drainage basin covers about 42% of the Ganga River basin and about 11% of India's total land area. The area of the Yamuna drainage basin is densely populated and under intensive agriculture, while industrial activity is also rapidly growing in it. Climatically, a large part of the basin is semi-arid, and the river-flow depends upon highly erratic monsoonal rains. Therefore, the River and its tributaries have been regulated for over a century by dams and barrages for domestic water-supply and irrigation.Besides increased flow-regulation, the River's system has been under increasing anthropogenic stress from discharge of—mostly untreated—domestic and industrial wastewaters, and from other activities in the basin. River Yamuna is severely polluted by domestic and industrial effluents especially from Delhi down to Agra. Water extraction and consequently low flow has affected the selfpurification capacity of the River. The greater inflow of River Chambal helps River Yamuna to recover to some extent after their confluence near Etawah.Studies of water quality and biota of the River Yamuna along its course during the past 30 years show rapid deterioration of water-quality, loss of fisheries, and significant changes in the biotic communities. In the manner of River Yamuna, its tributaries have also become increasingly polluted during the same period. There has, however, been little attention paid to the management of the River system and conservation of its resources, except for some efforts at the treatment of sewage effluents but emphasizing only water-quality. Ignoring the river-flood-plain interactions which play significant roles in the ecology of a river, most of the floodplain has been reclaimed by constructing high levees.We emphasize that the Yamuna River basin should be treated as one ecocomplex in developing appropriate management strategies, and that the conservation of waterquality and biota can be achieved through protection and better management of floodplains than has been practised to date.


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