Utilizing Hydrodynamic Modeling and GIS for Surface Water Intake Vulnerability Analysis

Abstract

Intakes for water plants are at risk of closing down because of sudden pollution accidents. The early warning system will enable authorities to take the necessary action to secure safe water for the water plant. This research will discuss the development approach to protecting the areas in the vicinity of the surface water intake which are known as Intake Protection Zones (IPZs) and determined IPZs according to the different vulnerability classes. The Delft3D model was used to define and delineate the (IPZs). It estimates the travel time for hypothetical contaminants by using particle tracing analyses for different scenarios of flow. The vulnerability score maps were established using the Geographical Information System (GIS) application for the delimitation of (IPZs). The combination of the field measurements, and the numerical model, to develop an early warning system by (GIS) is an effective tool for defining the protection zones scheme and becomes a vital tool for decision-makers to open or close the intake with spilled pollution or harmful water supply.

Keywords

• intake protection zones
• geographical information system
• delft3d model
• vulnerability score