Groundwater vulnerability assessment in the Melaka State of Malaysia using DRASTIC and GIS techniques

The present work attempts to interpret the groundwater vulnerability of the Melaka State in peninsular Malaysia. The state of groundwater pollution in Melaka is a critical issue particularly in respect of the increasing population, and tourism industry as well as the agricultural, industrial and commercial development. Focusing on this issue, the study illustrates the groundwater vulnerability map for the Melaka State using the DRASTIC model together with remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS). The data which correspond to the seven parameters of the model were collected and converted into thematic maps by GIS. Seven thematic maps defining the depth to water level, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone and hydraulic conductivity were generated to develop the DRASTIC map. In addition, this map was integrated with a land use map for generating the risk map to assess the effect of land use activities on the groundwater vulnerability. Three types of vulnerability zones were assigned for both DRASTIC map and risk map, namely, high, moderate and low. The DRASTIC map illustrates that an area of 11.02 % is low vulnerability, 61.53 % moderate vulnerability and 23.45 % high vulnerability, whereas the risk map indicates that 14.40 % of the area is low vulnerability, 47.34 % moderate vulnerability and 38.26 % high vulnerability in the study area. The most vulnerability area exists around Melaka, Jasin and Alor Gajah cities of the Melaka State.     

A dual two-stage stochastic model for flood management with inexact-integer analysis under multiple uncertainties

This study introduces a hybrid optimization approach for flood management under multiple uncertainties. An inexact two-stage integer programming (ITIP) model and its dual formation are developed by integrating the concepts of mixed-integer and interval-parameter programming techniques into a general framework of two-stage stochastic programming. The proposed approach provides a linkage to pre-defined management policies, deals with capacity-expansion planning issues, and reflects various uncertainties expressed as probability distributions and discrete intervals for a flood management system. Penalties are imposed when the policies are violated. The marginal costs are determined based on dual formulation of the ITIP model, and their effects on the optimal solutions are investigated. The developed model is applied to a case study of flood management. The solutions of binary variables represent the decisions of flood-diversion–capacity expansion within a multi-region, multi-flow-level, and multi-option context. The solutions of continuous variables are related to decisions of flood diversion toward different regions. The solutions of dual variables indicate the decisions of marginal costs associated with the resources of regions’ capacity, water availability, and allowable diversions. The results show that the proposed approach could obtain reliable solutions and adequately support decision making in flood management.     

Hydrochemistry of groundwater of Thiruporur block, Tamil Nadu (India)

An attempt has been made in this work to evaluate the environmental chemistry of groundwater in Thiruporur block, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. Eleven villages of Thiruporur block were selected; where the people use groundwater for drinking purpose, and the water samples were subjected to systematic analysis with a view to understand the potability of drinking water sources. The depth of the bore wells varied from 100 to 200?feet. The values obtained for different parameters were compared with the standard values given by ISI/ICMR/WHO and the variations were notable for the parameters like nitrate and total hardness for few samples. Therefore, a medical survey was carried out to study the harmful effects on the society due to these two parameters at the villages??Kayar and Melkottaiyar.     

Simulated Heat Content Variability in the Upper Layers of the Tropical Indian Ocean

Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) simulations from 1970–2007 are used to study the upper ocean heat content variability in the Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO). Model computed heat contents up to 50 m (denoted by HC50 m hereafter) representing upper ocean heat content and 300 m (HC300 m) representing heat content up to thermocline depth are first compared with heat contents computed from observations of two buoys in the TIO. It is found that there is good agreement between the model and observations. Fourier analysis of heat content is carried out in different regions of TIO. The amplitudes of semi-annual variability for HC50 m and HC300 m are observed to be greater than those for the annual variability in the Bay of Bengal, while in the Arabian Sea there is a mixed result. Heat content tendency is known to be governed by net surface heat flux and horizontal as well as vertical heat transports. For understanding the relative importance of these processes, a detailed analysis of these terms in the tendency equation is carried out. Rossby wave is observed in the annual mode of heat transport while equatorial jet and Kelvin waves are observed in the semi-annual mode of heart transport. Finally, the correlation between heat content and sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level anomaly (SLA), taken one at a time, is computed. It is found that the correlation improves significantly when both these quantities are together taken into account.     

Correlation assessment and monitoring of the potential pollutants in the surface sediments of Pyeongchang River, Korea

The study provides a baseline for the assessment of the organic and inorganic pollution specially, heavy metal contamination in the surface sediments of Pyeongchang River,South Korea.The assessment of the study areas was done with respect to metal pollution load,ecological risk and geoaccumulated risk.Based upon the used indices,a priority index(P_index) was used to rank the utmost contaminated sites.Though the concentrations of mercury in all sediments were below the guideline, the significant enriched contamination was observed by all applied indices.As expected,the values of pollution load index（PLI）,ecological risk index（RI） and geoaccumulation risk index(I_geo) demonstrated lower heavy metal contamination in upstream areas compared to the downstream. Admittedly,sediments were unpolluted to slightly-polluted according to PLI while high to extremely high ecological risks were observed in several sediment samples.Furthermore,all the samples were uncontaminated as per I_geo.After simplification of I_geo,the P_index,showed the utmost contaminated sediments with a value of 2.537.Notably,protective measures should be taken to the highly contaminated areas which are prioritized by P_index Admittedly,the maximum concentrations of total organic carbon,total nitrogen,inorganic nitrogen,total phosphorous,inorganic phosphorous,calcium, magnesium,sodium and potassium were significantly observed as 7.8×10⁴,3,185,36,1,032,3.7, 1,5163,2,881,669 and 4,076mg/kg accordingly.     

Physico-chemical analysis of surface and groundwater around Singrauli Coal Field, District Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, India

The present study was carried out in Singrauli area of the north India to know the water quality at selected sites. Physico-chemical parameters like pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), bicarbonate, hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, copper, iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc, and chromium were analyzed in 27 water samples. Locations selected for sampling were based on the preliminary field survey carried out to understand the overall impact of mining and industrialization on the surface and groundwater resources of Singrauli. Base map, drainage map, and land use/land cover of the study area were prepared from Survey of India topographic map 63 L/12 on 1:50000 scale and satellite data of IRS P6 LISS III 4th May 2010. Land use were categorized into 15 categories out of which major area occupied by open forest covers 20.33 %, uncultivated land 20.25 %, cultivated land 12.60 %, dense forest 11.00 %, and other categories cover 35.82 %. The results obtained are compared with World Health Organisation standards for drinking water quality. The physico chemical analysis shows alkaline nature of water, soft to moderately soft, TDS and total alkalinity exceeds the desirable limit. The major ions in water like calcium, and magnesium are within desirable limits, and sulfate and potassium exceed in limit at some locations, whereas sodium and chloride show higher values. The minor ions like copper and zinc show values within desirable limits whereas iron, cobalt, and chromium show higher values than the desirable limits which deteriorate the quality of water.