Evaluation and optimization of hydrometric locations using entropy theory and Bat algorithm (case study: Karkheh Basin, Iran)

Abstract

Abstract Hydrometric stations are important in most countries because of the application and importance of the data obtained from these stations. It is necessary to choose the best place for their establishment according to the cost of constructing hydrometric stations. The aim and innovation of this research are to optimize the location of hydrometric stations using Bat's meta-heuristic algorithm and interpolation methods, which information transfer entropy theory and Bat's algorithm were used to maximize the average amount of information transfer entropy. For this purpose, the data of 43 hydrometric stations of Karkheh basin in western Iran in period of 1991–2015 were used. In this research, two scenarios were investigated in order to improve the entropy of information transmission between stations. In the first scenario, using the kriging method to prepare the flow distribution map in the region and choosing normal kriging with spherical variogram as the best model to fit the average annual flow data and using the Bat algorithm to increase the correlation coefficient between the data and assuming no none of the available stations, 43 points were used to redeploy stations with higher average entropy in the region. The results of this scenario showed the concentration of new stations in the central and eastern areas of the basin. In the second scenario, the amount of entropy of information transfer at the regional level was calculated and 18 potential points were recommended for the establishment of new stations. The obtained variogram for the discharge of the basin showed that the range of influence is low and it is necessary to establish the stations at a close distance.

Keywords

• Entropy
• Bat algorithm
• Kriging
• Hydrometry
• Variogram
• Specific discharge