Delineating flood risk areas in Greater Dhaka of Bangladesh using geoinformatics

This paper illustrates the development of flood hazard and risk maps in Greater Dhaka of Bangladesh using geoinformatics. Multi-temporal RADARSAT SAR and GIS data were employed to delineate flood hazard and risk areas for the 1998 historical flood. Flood-affected frequency and flood depth were estimated from multi-date SAR data and considered as hydrologic parameters for the evaluation of flood hazard. Using land-cover, gemorphic units and elevation data as thematic components, flood hazard maps were created by considering the interactive effect of flood frequency and flood water depth concurrently. Analysis revealed that a major portion of Greater Dhaka was exposed to high to very high hazard zones while a smaller portion (2.72%) was free from the potential flood hazard. Flood risk map according to administrative division showed that 75.35% of Greater Dhaka was within medium to very high risk areas of which 53.39% of areas are believed to be fully urbanized by the year 2010.     

Present environment and historic changes from the record of lake sediments, Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Changes in the urban environment of Dhaka City have been evaluated from the geochemical compositions of bottom sediments from two lakes, Gulshan-1 and –2. Abundances of Pb, Zn, Fe₂O₃ and total sulfur in a Gulshan-1 core gradually increase toward the sediment–water interface. Three stages of condition change can be recognized in Gulshan-1, based on trace metal concentration patterns. The basal Stage I corresponds to background Dhaka sedimentation, whereas gradual increase in Stage II represents the beginning of pollution. Marked increases in Pb and Zn in Stage III reflect rapid urban development and increased emissions to the atmosphere. The condition of the Dhaka environment is compared to that of Japan based on Zn–Fe₂O₃ and Pb–Fe₂O₃ relations. Zn–Fe₂O₃ ratios in Stage I Dhaka sediments are similar to normal Japanese sediments, whereas Stage II data lie on the same trend as Japan urban sediments. Dhaka Stage III samples have greater Zn:Fe₂O₃ ratios than Japanese urban sediments, suggesting Zn pollution from poorly-controlled industrial sources. In contrast, the Dhaka Pb–Fe₂O₃ trend lies between normal and urban Japanese sediments. Although vehicle emissions in Dhaka are now significant, the data suggest that Pb pollution from this source remains in its early stages.     

Site response analysis for deep and soft sedimentary deposits of Dhaka City,Bangladesh

Natural Hazards - The ground motion intensity of an earthquake is significantly changed when seismic waves propagate from the bedrock to the near-surface soft geological materials. The ground where...     

Response of the Dupi Tila aquifer to intensive pumping in Dhaka,Bangladesh

This paper focuses on the water-quantity issues facing Dhaka because of the rapid exploitation of the Dupi Tila aquifer. Dhaka is one of the world's largest groundwater-dependent cities, relying on water withdrawn from this underlying semiconfined sand aquifer. A meteoric rise in well construction in both the private and public sectors in recent years has produced an estimated 1,300 boreholes that tap the aquifer in urban and suburban parts of the city. Analysis of construction records for public-supply wells drilled between 1970 and 2000 shows that water levels are falling in several areas of the city despite apparently favorable recharge conditions. The productivity of boreholes as measured by specific capacity has also declined significantly. Even though the aquifer system is vital to the infrastructure of the city it remains a poorly quantified resource, and until this is resolved by investment in evaluation studies, attempts to efficiently manage the resource in a sustainable way will be frustrated.

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Resumen Este artículo trata de los aspectos cuantitativos relacionados con la sobreexplotación del acuífero de Dupi Tila, que suministra a la ciudad de Dhaka (Bangladesh). Ésta es una de las mayores ciudades del mundo con dependencia de las aguas subterráneas, y se abastece de un acuífero semiconfinado formado por arenas. El aumento meteórico en la construcción de pozos durante los últimos años, tanto en el sector público como en el privado, ha provocado que haya unas 1.300 captaciones del acuífero en las zonas urbana y suburbana de la ciudad. El análisis de los registros constructivos de pozos de abastecimiento público entre 1970 y 2000 muestra que los niveles piezométricos están descendiendo en diversas áreas de la ciudad, a pesar de la existencia de condiciones aparentemente favorables de recarga. La productividad de los pozos, determinada por su capacidad específica, también ha disminuido significativamente. Aunque el sistema acuífero es vital para la infraestructura de la ciudad, los recursos aún no han sido cuantificados adecuadamente. Hasta que este asunto no sea resuelto mediante la inversión en estudios de evaluación, los intentos por gestionar eficientemente los recursos de forma sustentable serán infructuosos.

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Résumé Cet article porte sur les pertes en quantité subies par Dacca du fait de l'exploitation rapide de l'aquifère de Dupi Tila. Dacca est l'une des villes dépendant de l'eau souterraine les plus importantes du monde, prélevant l'eau d'un aquifère sableux sous-jacent semi-captif. On estime à 1,300 forages l'accroissement des creusements de puits aussi bien dans le secteur privé que public dans ces dernières années; ils prélèvent dans l'aquifère dans la partie urbaine et à la périphérie de la ville. L'analyse des déclarations de creusement de puits pour l'AEP forés entre 1970 et 2000 montre que les niveaux d'eau ont chuté dans plusieurs zones de la ville malgré des conditions de recharge apparemment favorables. La productivité des puits mesurée par la capacité spécifique a également diminué significativement. Même si le système aquifère est vital pour l'infrastructure de la ville, il reste une ressource médiocrement quantifiée, et tant que ceci ne sera pas résolu par un investissement dans des études d'évaluation, les tentatives pour gérer efficacement la ressource de façon durable échoueront.

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Liquefaction resistance evaluation of soils using artificial neural network for Dhaka City,Bangladesh

Natural Hazards - Soil liquefaction resistance evaluation is an important site investigation for seismically active areas. To minimize the loss of life and property, liquefaction hazard analysis is...     

Dynamics of land use/cover changes and the analysis of landscape fragmentation in Dhaka Metropolitan, Bangladesh

Rapid urban expansion due to large scale land use/cover change, particularly in developing countries becomes a matter of concern since urbanization drives environmental change at multiple scales. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has been experienced break-neck urban growth in the last few decades that resulted many adverse impacts on the environment. This paper was an attempt to document spatio-temporal pattern of land use/cover changes, and to quantify the landscape structures in Dhaka Metropolitan of Bangladesh. Using multi-temporal remotely sensed data with GIS, dynamics of land use/cover changes was evaluated and a transition matrix was computed to understand the rate and pattern of land use/cover change. Derived land use statistics subsequently integrated with landscape metrics to determine the impact of land use change on landscape fragmentation. Significant changes in land use/cover were noticed in Dhaka over the study period, 1975–2005. Rapid urbanization was manifested by a large reduction of agricultural land since urban built-up area increased from 5,500?ha in 1975 to 20,549?ha in 2005. At the same time, cultivated land decreased from 12,040 to 6,236?ha in the same period. Likewise, wetland and vegetation cover reduced to about 6,027 and 2,812?ha, respectively. Consequently, sharp changes in landscape pattern and composition were observed. The landscape became highly fragmented as a result of rapid increase in the built-up areas. The analysis revealed that mean patch size decreased while the number of patches increased. Landscape diversity declined, urban dominance amplified, and the overall landscape mosaics became more continuous, homogenous and clumped. In order to devise sustainable land use planning and to determine future landscape changes for sound resource management strategies, the present study is expected to have significant implications in rapidly urbanizing cities of the world in delivering baseline information about long term land use change and its impact on landscape structure.     

Potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment and water body around Dhaka export processing zone,Bangladesh

Sediments and surface water contamination by the industrial effluents containing heavy metals is the most detrimental environmental impact. Therefore, the present work attempts to determine the status of eight heavy metal distribution in sediments and water samples, and their ecological risks’ assessment in the studied area. The distribution pattern of heavy metals in the water and sediment follows the sequences: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Mn > Ni > As > Cd and Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > As > Cd, respectively. Gross water pollution is observed at different sampling points of Dhalai Beel and Bangshi River. The comparison of sedimentary mean metal concentrations with several environmental contamination monitoring parameters, viz, threshold effect level (TEL), probable effect level (PEL), and severe effect lever (SEL) indicates that the metal levels are less than PEL except Cr. Moreover, the level of contamination degree (C _d) and modified degree of contamination (mC _d) indicates ‘low’ and ‘nil to low’ degree of contamination, respectively. Pollution load indices (PLI) of the studied area are lower than unity, indicates no pollution. Furthermore, a toxic-response factor is applied to assess the potential ecological risk of these heavy metals into the water body. The results of this study exhibit a low potential ecological risk of heavy metals. The Pearson’s correlation and cluster analysis are also performed to assess the heavy metal interactions in water and sediment samples.     

Environmental assessment of Dhaka City (Bangladesh) based on trace metal contents in road dusts

Geochemical analysis of street dusts was conducted to evaluate the environment of Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Dust samples were collected from different areas (industrial, commercial, and residential) of Dhaka City, and their major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) were determined. Samples from the commercial area had Pb concentrations double those of the industrial and residential areas. Contents of Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr in the industrial areas were greater than those in the commercial and residential areas. The REE patterns of all dusts in Dhaka are similar and are comparable to the average upper continental crust. The condition of the Dhaka environment was compared to that in Japan and other baseline sediments using Zn–Fe₂O₃ and Pb–Fe₂O₃ diagrams. Zn–Fe₂O₃ trends for the dusts show steep inclination compared to the baseline sediment and the Japanese urban sediment trends. Dhaka lake data show enrichment of Zn over the dusts, suggestive of Zn pollution from poorly controlled industrial sources. In contrast, on the Pb–Fe₂O₃ diagram, Dhaka dusts have greater Pb contents than lake sediments, probably due to the higher traffic density in the commercial area compared to the residential area including the area around the lake. The results suggest that higher levels of Pb and Zn in street dusts in Dhaka can most likely be attributed to the anthropogenic sources like vehicle emissions to the atmosphere and a rapid development.     

Waterlogging induced loss and damage assessment of urban households in the monsoon period: a case study of Dhaka,Bangladesh

Natural Hazards - Every monsoon period, the households in Dhaka face extensive waterlogging in their localities. This recrudescing event leads to tangible and intangible losses in the lives of...     

Modernization of the migrant women in Dhaka,Bangladesh: analysis of some demographic variables

The author analyzes the demographic variables as signes of urban adaptation and modernization by poor females as a result of the influence of rural-urban migration. The migrant females show their ability and change or modify their rural values in terms of various demographic issues by living in the urban areas. They are able to modernize themselves by adopting new knowledge and can develop individual thinking against the traditional values as well as maintaining some traditions in the city. They develop practical ideas and self-consciousness with respect to life and family.     

北京市老城区雨洪控制与利用示范工程运行中的水质研究

以北京市老城区雨洪控制与利用示范工程为背景．对天然降雨、不同下垫面雨水径流、示范工程处理过程雨水径流以及地下水水质进行分析研究,通过示范工程对雨洪的处理利用效果,探讨雨水回灌至地下能否对地下水环境产生负面影响。     

Site amplification investigation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, using H/V ratio of microtremor

The degree of damage during earthquakes strongly depends on dynamic characteristics of buildings as well as amplification of seismic waves in soils. Among the other approaches, microtremor is, perhaps, the easiest and cheapest way to understand the dynamic characteristics of soil. Non-reference microtremor measurements have been carried out in 45 locations in and around the capital Dhaka city of Bangladesh. Subsoil investigations (Standard Penetration Test and Shear Wave Velocity) have also been executed in those locations. Soil model has been developed for those locations for site response analysis by means of the program SHAKE. Among those 45 locations, predominant frequency of microtremor observation varies from 0.48 to 3.65 Hz. Out of those 45, for 35 locations Transfer function obtained from the program SHAKE have higher frequency compared to microtremor H/V ratio and for one location it has lower predominant frequency. For six locations, frequencies obtained from two methods are identical. For three other locations, there are no similarities between predominant frequency obtained from microtremor and transfer function. The seismic Vulnerability Index (Kg) for 45 sites varies between 0.45 and 31.85. Ten sites have been identified as having moderate vulnerability of soil layers to deform.     

衡水市水功能区排污现状分析研究

衡水市是河北省缺水的城市之一,同时也是水体污染较突出的城市之一.由于衡水市经济的快速发展和人口的不断增长,工业废水和生活污水的排放在大量增加,根据2010年对全市水功能区及非水功能区重新进行的排污口核查与监测结果,从水功能区划分、水质状况、排污现状等方面,详细探讨了衡水市水功能区排污状况,并提出了排污治理建议.     

山西省大同市水资源紧缺原因分析与对策研究

大同市水资源十分紧缺，供需矛盾较为突出，造成这种状况的原因多种多样。文章从历史到现在，从自然到人为，从不同侧面对大同市水资源紧缺原因进行分析研究，归纳出用水结构不合理等7个主要方面的问题，并在此基础上提出了调整产业和用水结构等5点建议和意见。研究表明，虽然大同市水资源相对匮乏，但没有合理充分利用，水资源还有相当大的潜力。只要转变观念，认识到位，并将先进的、科学的方法和手段运用于大同市水资源的开发、利用、管理和保护，大同市水资源管理中存在的问题可望得到解决。     

Declining groundwater level and aquifer dewatering in Dhaka metropolitan area,Bangladesh: causes and quantification

Large abstraction by water-wells has been causing a linear to exponential drop in groundwater level and substantial aquifer dewatering in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The city is almost entirely dependent on groundwater, which occurs beneath the area in an unconsolidated Plio-Pleistocene sandy aquifer. Analysis shows that the pattern of water-level change largely replicates the patterns of change in the rate of groundwater abstraction. Contribution of the aquifer storage to the abstraction is estimated to be more than 15% in the year 2002. This abstraction has caused a sharp drop in water level throughout the city and turned into two cones of depression in the water level. Upper parts of the aquifer are already dewatered throughout the area, with the exception of part of the northeast and southeast corner of the city. It is calculated that about 41 million cubic metres (MCM) of the aquifer dewatered by the year 1988, which increased to 2,272 MCM in the year 2002. Water-level decline may increase non-linearly due to limiting vertical recharge in areas where the aquifer is dewatered and may severely threaten the sustainability of the aquifer.     

A regional groundwater-flow model for sustainable groundwater-resource management in the south Asian megacity of Dhaka,Bangladesh

The water resources that supply most of the megacities in the world are under increased pressure because of land transformation, population growth, rapid urbanization, and climate-change impacts. Dhaka, in Bangladesh, is one of the largest of 22 growing megacities in the world, and it depends on mainly groundwater for all kinds of water needs. The regional groundwater-flow model MODFLOW-2005 was used to simulate the interaction between aquifers and rivers in steady-state and transient conditions during the period 1981–2013, to assess the impact of development and climate change on the regional groundwater resources. Detailed hydro-stratigraphic units are described according to 150 lithology logs, and a three-dimensional model of the upper 400 m of the Greater Dhaka area was constructed. The results explain how the total abstraction (2.9 million m³/d) in the Dhaka megacity, which has caused regional cones of depression, is balanced by recharge and induced river leakage. The simulated outcome shows the general trend of groundwater flow in the sedimentary Holocene aquifers under a variety of hydrogeological conditions, which will assist in the future development of a rational and sustainable management approach.

     

Hydrological processes of adsorption,sedimentation, and infiltration into the lake bed during the 2004 urban flood in Dhaka city,Bangladesh

The urban flood of Dhaka city in September 2004 is a result of heavy rainfall (341 mm a day or more than 600 mm in 5 days). In addition to the local rainfall, elevated water levels in the surrounding rivers may have affected the flood duration by bank filtration. Two lakes, Banani and Gulshan, in the mid of the city are the part of general storm water retention system in Dhaka. Flood water runs through the lakes acting as channels to the pumping station downstream. A tank model is used in this study to describe the total drainage process with the hydraulic geometry and resistance laws to derive cross-sections and friction factors of the quasi-uniform flows. Assuming the dissolved matters of the flood water was of similar composition as in the lake sediments, the process was a combination of adsorption and sedimentation. Lake sediment samples collected in March 2004 show an anomaly of chromium which may reflect the previous 1998 flood, and there may be a diffusive leakage from the source area to the adjacent zones. Further evidence of infiltration process is seen in records of diurnal thermal stratification of Lake Banani. It responds to only heavy rainfalls over 100 mm/day, and the fact means that infiltration to the groundwater is rather intermittent.     

Hydrogeological characteristics of waterlogged areas in Natore District,Bangladesh

Waterlogging (WL) refers to the process by which water flow is resisted in vertical and horizontal directions and thus water stagnates for a short or long span of time; it is induced by a combination of human and natural factors. In the southwestern region of Bangladesh, including Natore District, WL is a significant issue that needs to be addressed if agricultural activity is to be successful. This study aimed to identify surface WL in Natore District and to characterise the WL scenario in the study area in terms of hydrogeology. Waterlogged areas were identified with a geographic information system using satellite images corresponding to the premonsoon and postmonsoon periods. Using groundwater level data (1990–2017), the pre- and postmonsoon scenarios of the waterlogged areas were indicated by seasonal and perennial types of WL. Groundwater recharge scenarios were classified as long and short lag times. Most of the study area was characterised by thick clay or silty clay surficial layers with low water penetration rates, resulting from low porosity and low hydraulic conductivity. The cross-correlation between rainfall and groundwater level revealed the response of groundwater to rainfall, with a lag time of 1–5 months. Long lag time areas exhibited slow groundwater recharge and significant groundwater level fluctuation, with lower hydraulic conductivity values of 49.37–76.24 m/day. In contrast, short lag time areas displayed rapid groundwater recharge and small groundwater fluctuation due to a good proportional relationship with rainfall and higher hydraulic conductivity values of 74.74–117.79 m/day.

     

Tracing recharge to aquifers beneath an Asian megacity with Cl/Br and stable isotopes: the example of Dhaka,Bangladesh

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is home to a population of 15 million people, whose water supply is 85% drawn from groundwater in aquifers that underlie the city. Values of Cl/Br >500 are common in groundwater beneath western Dhaka in areas <3 km from the river, and in rivers and sewers around and within the city. The study shows that groundwater beneath western Dhaka is strongly influenced by infiltration of effluent from leaking sewers and unsewered sanitation, and by river-bank infiltration from the Turag-Buriganga river system which bounds the western limit of the city. River-bank infiltration from other rivers around Dhaka is minor. Values of Cl/Br and Cl concentrations reveal that 23 % of wells sampled in Dhaka are influenced by saline connate water in amounts up to 1%. This residual natural salinity compromises the use of electrical conductivity of groundwater as a method for defining pathways of recharge by contaminated surface waters. Concentrations of As, B, Ba, Cd, Cu, F, Ni, NO₃, Pb, Sb, Se and U in groundwater samples are less than WHO health-based guideline values for drinking water.     

Seismotectonic studies of the coastal areas of India,Pakistan, Bangladesh,and Burma

Major geotectonic elements that are seismically active in the near-shore areas of the Indian subcontinent are the Mekran fault off the coast of Pakistan, the western part of the Narmada-Son lineament, the West Coast Fault off the west coast of India - a southward extension of the Cambay Rift, the Palghat Gap, the Godavari and Mahanadi grabens, transecting rather at an angle to the eastern coast of India and the Arakan-Yoma arcuate belt of Burma, which is a part of the global Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, continuing southwards into the Andaman-Nicobar island complex and the Java-Sumatra trench on the ocean floor of the advancing Indo-Australian Plate.The coastal belt exhibits varied degrees of seismicity from intensely seismic areas, like the Mekran coast off Pakistan, Kutch (India) and the Arakan-Yoma belt of Burma, with earthquake magnitudes of more than 8.0, while the intervening coastal areas of the Peninsular India are moderately seismic to aseismic. The remaining areas, namely, the major part of the coastal belt of Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh are broadly aseismic. However, the active Godavari graben and the eastern part of the coast of Bangladesh are frequented by low to moderate magnitude earthquakes. An extension of the active Arakan-Yoma belt in the Bay of Bengal in the form of the Andaman-Nicobar Island complex is highly seismic with a maximum earthquake magnitude of more than 8.0, while the Lakshadweep-Minicoy island complex, situated on the Chagos-Laccadive ridge is moderately seismic. This broad picture of coastal and marginal seismicity is corroborated by the geodynamics of the northern part of the Indo-Australian Plate.Observations along the coastal areas during historic and recent times, however, confirm the absence of significant tsunamis, though very mild tsunami surges have occasionally been observed along the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal. No active volcanoes are known to exist in the coastal areas.Water reservoirs situated near the marginal areas of the Peninsular Shield exhibit moderate to intense seismic activities, viz. Ukai, Bhatsa, Koyna, Parambikulam, Sholayar, Idduki, and Kinnersani.