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Go to Editorial ManagerSafwan-Zubair area is regarded as one of the important agricultural areas in Basrah province, South of Iraq. The aim of this study is to predict groundwater level in this area using ANNs model. The data required for building the ANNs model are generated using MODFLOW model (V.5.3). MODFLOW model was calibrated based on field measurements of groundwater level in 13 monitoring wells during a period of one year (Nov./2013 to Oct/2014). The neural network toolbox available in MATLAB version 7.1 (2010B) was used to develop the ANN models. Three layers feed-forward network with Log- sigmoid transfer function was used. The networks were trained using Levenberg-Marquradt back-propagation algorithm. The ANN modes are divided into two groups, each of four models. The input data of the first group include hydraulic heads, while, the input data of the second group include hydraulic heads and recharge rates. Based on results of this study it was found that; the best ANN model for predicting groundwater levels in the study area is obtained when the input data includes hydraulic heads and recharge rates of two successive months preceding the target month, the best structure of ANN model is of three layers feed-forward network type composes of two hidden layers, each of ten nodes, and the including of recharge rates as input data, beside the hydraulic heads has improved slightly the results.
A two-dimensional mathematical model has been constructed by using finite difference method for representation the groundwater flow in both steady and unsteady states at the upper aquifer of Dibdibba formation. The hydraulic characteristics of this aquifer have been redistributed based on observed data for the period (1988• l 989). A verification test is added to check the model correctness by matching the calculoted levels with the ones observed for the year 2000.A model was set to predict the groundwater levels up to the year 2010. Results of prediction show a reduction in groundwater level about (Im) in the central parts of the study area compared to the level of this groundwater in the year 2000.0n the other hand, this decrease is reaches (0.5m) in the western parts of this area.
A linked simulation-optimization model for obtaining the optimum management of groundwater flow is presented in this research. (MODFLOW, 98) packages are used to simulate the flow of the groundwater system. This model is integrated with an optimization model which is based on the genetic algorithm (GA). Three management cases were undertaken by running the model with adopted calibrated parameters. In the first case found the optimum value of the objective function is (0.32947E+08 m3/year), in other words, the pumping rates could be raised to nine times the current pumping rates, with a highest decline in the hydraulic heads of groundwater compared with initial hydraulic heads reached to 6 cm. In a second case twenty six wells out of thirty five can be operated with "on/off" status associated with each well to obtain the maximum value of pumping rate. In third case is allowed to move a location of well anywhere within a user defined region of the model grid until the optimal location is reached. The optimum value of objective function in third case is (0.35539E+08 m3/year) with 8% increasing of the pumping rates compared with the first case. This is due to the random distribution of existing well locations.
Groundwater in arid and semi-arid regions, such as the studied area (Safwan Al-Zubair area, south of Iraq), is of specific meaning as a major source for domestic use and irrigation demand. There is a need to better understand the interactions between groundwater and surface water (Shatt Al-Basrah Canal). These interactions can negatively affect the quality of groundwater in this area, especially that the water of Shatt Al- Basrah Canal contains highly concentrated pollutants. The aim of the study is to investigate the temporal disparity of river-aquifer interactions and count the amount of river interchange among canal and aquifer. In this research, a new concept of paradigm will be advanced utilizing RIVER package of Groundwater River Paradigm (MODFLOW) for the simulation of river-aquifer interaction operations. Six monitoring wells are chosen to evaluate the preliminary and historical groundwater hydraulic heads for six months and then use all collected data in Modflow to execute the simulation of numerical modeling to assessment the interaction between surface water and groundwater. The amount of seepage out from the canal towards the aquifer was (64.99 m 3 /day) in wet season (winter season), as a result of the high levels of the surface water compared to the hydraulic heads of groundwater. The amount of seepage in dry season towards the aquifer is equal to (336.8 m 3 /day).
Recently, methods have emerged to assess the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution, which has been adopted by many countries that depend on groundwater as an important and supportive resource for surface water to protect groundwater and monitor and control its pollution. Assessment methods adopt vulnerability maps and compare them with the real-life pollution map of the region. The study was conducted in Al-Teeb area, which is located in the northeast of Missan province, south of Iraq. This area is about 2450 km 2 . This study applied four models DRASTIC, GOD, SINTACS and Modified DRASTIC of vulnerability maps are analyzed using GIS technique and compared with the reality map which represent the nitrate concentration map as a basic comparison map; in order to choose the closest one with respect to the realistic acting. The results showed that 80.29 % of study area is classified under low vulnerability in DRASTIC method and moderate vulnerability in GOD, SINTACS and MD-DRASTIC which are covered 54.12 %, 83.18 % and 72.35 % of study area respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to compare the four methods with the nitrate concentration map, where the correlation value for DRASTIC, GOD, SINTACS and MD-DRASTIC was 73.05, 49.79, 83.23 and 87.94 %, respectively. So, the MD-DRASTIC is represented the best technique for evaluating vulnerability map in the study area which can be recommended.
Wastewater lagoons have proven to be an economically and environmentally beneficial alternative to traditional methods for treating sewage because of their unique properties, which include simplicity of use and inexpensive construction, energy, and maintenance costs. It is a natural wastewater treatment process that exploits the interactions between bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms and their surroundings to remove pathogens, organic matter, suspended particles, phosphates, ammonia, and nitrates. Stabilization lagoons are widely used throughout the world as they have proved to be a perfectly acceptable and satisfactory treatment system, the effluents produced in tertiary lagoons have been used for irrigation and aquaculture in many countries, indicating the high quality achieved during treatment in these units. This aim of this research is to overview the literature on lagoons' classification, design, and historical development. It also includes a set of relevant pilot and laboratory-scale experiments. As well as a comprehensive review of factors affecting lagoon performance, including sun's light, DO, pH, temperature, and nutrients. The relationship between these factors and their use in efficient contaminant removal is also discussed.
Although estuarine locations provide natural safety and protection for the construction of harbours and other infrastructure, they are prone to natural filling due to sediment settlement. As a result, dredging is required regularly to keep navigation channels and harbours safe and functional. A numerical model has been developed in this study to compute annual sediment load in Khour Al-Zubair Port, South of Iraq, setting up a MIKE 21 FM model. MIKE 21 FM was developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) where provides the capability of simulation of a hydrodynamic model (HD) coupled with the mud transport model (MT). The model operates with an unstructured mesh of triangles and quadrilateral elements of different sizes. Field and experimental data were provided during two periods (Neap and Spring) for calibration and verification process. According to the sensitivity analysis results, it is clear that the settling velocity is an essential parameter. Based on the results of the calibrated model, there is annual sedimentation of 1220500.64 tons/year. The primary deposition took place in the meandering of the Khour Al-Zubair estuary and behind the piers.
Data sets of highest monthly rainfall for the period (1887-1958) are used for evaluating the proper theoretical statistical distribution of extreme monthly rainfall in Baghdad city. The frequency analyses and most statistical test were done using a commercial version of HYFRAN. Five distributions are used in this research, which are: - Normal, Pearson Type III, Lognormal, 3-parameter lognormal and Gumbel. Estimation of theoretical distribution is achieved by using maximum likelihood method and adequacy test is carried out using chi-square test. Lognormal, 3-parameter lognormal, and Gumbel distributions seem to be suitable for representing of maximum monthly rainfall in the study area.