River water quality model verification through a GIS based software

Abstract

Research and development attempts on water quality models created valuable resources in the sense of model calibration and verification techniques. Recognizing the current degree of pollution in rivers and the importance of the sustainable water resources management, the interactive river monitoring appears to be at the center of recent focus. However the available information in this area is still far from expectations. On one side, the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are gaining widespread acceptance and on the other side fast and reliable water quality models and parameter estimation techniques are becoming available. However, previous work on integrating water quality models and GIS is very limited. This work brings an integrated platform on which ArcMap as a GIS and a water quality model in Matlab™ are brought together in an interactive and user-friendly manner. The software developed allows the user to enter the data collected from the river, runs the dynamic model in the Matlab™ environment, predicts the values of pollution constituents along the river, extracts the results and displays the water quality on the map in different forms. The software thus provides a considerable ease in future real time application for on site river monitoring and environmental pollution assessment.