Floodplain Residents' Preferences for Water Level Management Options in Flood Control Projects in Bangladesh

A maximum difference conjoint (MDC) model was part of a questionnaire toassess floodplain residents' preferences for the outcomes of water level managementinside an enclosed embankment system on the left bank of the Dhaleswari River, calledthe Compartmentalization Pilot Project (CPP)-Tangail. The outcomes were described as(a) varied flood depths in the rice field, (b) incidence of flooding on the courtyard andinside homes, (c) changes in floodplain and culture fisheries, and (d) varied conditionsof drainage congestion. Following a standard survey, the respondents from inside andoutside a completed section of the compartment (Cluster 1b) were shown profiles of these flood management outcomes and were asked to indicate for each profile the one most preferred and the one least preferred item. The results of the study indicated that the respondents had a clear preference for preventing flooding of their homes and courtyards and for an ideal water depth of 2 ft in the aman rice fields. At the same time, they also showed a strong concern about malfunctioning of sluices and to a lesser extent about the changes in the fish habitat. The successful application of the MDC as an approach to model tradeoffs among rural residents of Bangladesh shows that a relatively complex quantitative survey method, incorporating choice cards as pictograms, can be applied successfully even in a developing country.     

An attenuation relationship based on Turkish strong motion data and iso-acceleration map of Turkey

This paper presents an attenuation relationship of peak ground acceleration (PGA) derived from Turkish strong motion data for rock, soil and soft soil sites and an iso-acceleration map of Turkey based on this relationship. For the purpose, among all the three-component accessible records, 221 records from 122 earthquakes that occurred in Turkey between 1976 and November 2003 were selected. The database was compiled for earthquakes with moment magnitudes (M_w) and PGA values ranging between 4.1 and 7.5, and 20 and 806 gal, and distances to epicenter considered in the database were between 5 and 100 km. From the regression analysis of the data, an attenuation equation of PGA considering rock, soil and soft soil conditions was developed. The PGA values predicted from the equation suggested in this study and those both from a few domestic equations and some imported equations were compared. In addition, an iso-acceleration map of Turkey was constructed using the suggested attenuation equation and considering both known active faults and epicenter locations of the earthquakes that have occurred in Turkey.     

Areal extent of the 1988 flood in Bangladesh: How much did the satellite imagery show?

This paper presents the methods and results of visual interpretation of satellite imagery for estimating areal extent of the 1988 flood in Bangladesh. The main limitation of this method was that cloud-free images were not available for the peak flood period in the first week of September. Relatively cloud-free images on three selected dates in the last three weeks of September showed that areas of inundation on those dates ranged from 44000 to 60000 km² ± 5% (31 to 42% of Bangladesh). The Government of Bangladesh official estimates of the areal extent of flooding were tentative in nature, since these were based on a choropleth map of relative proportions (percentages) of flooding in different parts of the country. The official estimate of the maximum extent of flooding was 82000 km² (57% of Bangladesh), i.e. 15 to 26% larger than the area shown on satellite imagery. The actual extent of flooding was certainly larger than the estimates from satellite imagery but, perhaps, smaller than the official estimates, since a reduction of 15 to 26% of flood area in one to three weeks seemed unlikely. An alternative method of mapping flood-affected areas by using newspaper-interpreted data was attempted, but the method had limited values because of reporting bias.     

Effects of sinuosity factor on hydrodynamic parameters estimation in karst systems: a dye tracer experiment from the Beyyayla sinkhole (Eskişehir,Turkey)

The sinuosity factor (SF) is a critical value in karst systems in terms of estimating their hydrodynamic parameters including groundwater velocity, coefficient of dispersion, etc., through dye tracer experiments. SF has been used in a number of different dye tracer experiments in karstic systems to estimate a representative flow path. While knowing SF is crucially important in the estimation of hydrodynamic parameters, its calculation is associated with significant uncertainty due to the complexity of subsurface karstic features. And yet, only a few studies have discussed its uncertainties, which might lead some errors in estimation of hydrodynamic parameters from dye tracer experiment. In this study, dye tracer experiments were conducted in two consecutive years (2003 and 2004) representing low and high flow conditions in the Beyyayla sinkhole (Eski?ehir, Turkey) where the flow path is well known. Uranine was used in experiments as a tracer and QTRACER computer program was used to determine the hydrodynamic properties of the Beyyayla karst system as well as to gain insights into the effects of SF from dye tracer experiments on estimated parameters. The results showed that the breakthrough curve follows a unimodal and a bimodal distribution in low and high flow conditions, respectively. These different distributions stem from the water transport mechanisms, where velocities were calculated as 58.2 and 93.6 m h^?1 during low and high flow conditions observed in a spring emerging from the south side of the studied system. The results also show that the coefficient of dispersion, Reynolds number, and Peclet number increased and longitudinal dispersivity decreased with the higher flow rate. Furthermore, the estimated parameters did not vary with either the flow conditions or the tracer transit time, but they have shown some variations with SF. When SF was increased by 50 %, a change in these parameters was obtained in the range of 50–125 %.     

Comparative Analyses of the Point Cloud Produced by Using Close-Range Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Rock Surface

Point cloud produced by using theoretically and practically different techniques is one of the most preferred data types in various engineering applications and projects. The advanced methods to obtain point cloud data in terrestrial studies are close range photogrammetry (CRP) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). In the TLS technique, separated from the CRP in terms of system structure, denser point cloud at certain intervals can be produced. However, point clouds can be produced with the help of photographs taken at appropriate conditions depending on the hardware and software technologies. Adequate quality photographs can be obtained by consumer grade digital cameras, and photogrammetric software widely used nowadays provides the generation of point cloud support. The tendency and the desire for the TLS are higher since it constitutes a new area of research. Moreover, it is believed that TLS takes the place of CRP, reviewed as antiquated. In this study that is conducted on rock surfaces located at Istanbul Technical University Ayazaga Campus, whether point cloud produced by means photographs can be used instead of point cloud obtained by laser scanner device is investigated. Study is worked on covers approximately area of 30 m?×?10 m. In order to compare the methods, 2D and 3D analyses as well as accuracy assessment were conducted. 2D analysis is areal-based whereas 3D analysis is volume-based. Analyses results showed that point clouds in both cases are similar to each other and can be used for similar other studies. Also, because the factors affecting the accuracy of the basic data and derived product for both methods are quite variable, it was concluded that it is not appropriate to make a choice regardless of the object of interest and the working conditions.     

HNC-Plot: an excel VBA for visualization of helium,nitrogen and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> isotope data of crustal and mantle gases

We present HNC-Plot, an Excel Visual Basic Application (Excel VBA) that can easily be used to create graphical plots of fluids associated with volcanic gases or geothermal manifestations, based on their helium, nitrogen and CO₂ isotope data. HNC-Plot has been designed in a simple way; all the user has to do is to input data in an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet also contains buttons which have links to Excel VBA codes that generate plots. Once, the respective button is clicked, and all required variables are defined, Excel VBA generates a plot with labels and axes. Based upon the user preferences, additional tasks such as construction of mixing lines between mantle and crustal gases or calculation of end-member proportions can also be performed. We sincerely believe geoscientists can quickly and easily create these plots, free of charge, with this application. This study also presents previously published data from related literature to show the foundations of the application and to present sample plots created with it.