Hydrological Applications and Cooperation Projects in Developing Countries

A special issue of Hydrology (ISSN 2306-5338). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrological and Hydrodynamic Processes and Modelling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 1670615

Special Issue Editors

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR HydroSciences Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CC 057, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier CEDEX 5, France
Interests: rainfall-runoff modeling; hydrology; integrated water resources management; climatic changes; global changes; climatic and anthropogenic scenarios; West Africa; Mediterranean region
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: river hydraulics and hydro-morphology; bed-load sediment transport; scour processes; river morphology; sediment yield from mountain catchments; flood risk
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Most of the global population lives in developing countries, which are most prone to hydrological phenomena (such as monsoons, floods, cyclones, droughts, aridity, etc.). Efficient use of water resources and hazard mitigation are thus priorities for these regions where, more than elsewhere, hydrological processes are so strictly related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals such as Zero hunger, Clean water and sanitation, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, and Life on land.

On the other hand, one of the key issues of hydrological studies in developing countries is the applicability of tools and methods in contexts where research is hindered by other priority objectives, limited resources, and data scarcity.

The aim of this Special Issue is to foster scientific and technical advances by gathering contributions related to any hydrological/hydraulic applications in developing countries. The presented research may result from academic research projects or from development projects under the umbrella of international cooperation. Submitted studies may be performed at any scale, from regional to local; may be focused on data collection, management, and reliability; may instead involve the numerical modelling of physical processes; or finally, may propose technical solutions for problems at stake. Problem-oriented, interdisciplinary studies will significantly add value to this Special Issue.

Stemming from the common characteristic of studies, contributions from scholars based in developing countries are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Alain Dezetter
Dr. Alessio Radice
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • developing countries
  • water management
  • flood
  • drought
  • data collection
  • cooperation projects
  • awareness

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 175 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial to the Special Issue “Hydrological Applications and Cooperation Projects in Developing Countries”
by Alain Dezetter and Alessio Radice
Hydrology 2023, 10(2), 39; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology10020039 - 31 Jan 2023
Viewed by 955
Abstract
Most of the global population lives in developing countries that are highly prone to hydrological phenomena (such as monsoons, floods, cyclones, droughts, aridity, etc [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 2635 KiB  
Article
Streamflow Analysis in Data-Scarce Kabompo River Basin, Southern Africa, for the Potential of Small Hydropower Projects under Changing Climate
by George Z. Ndhlovu and Yali E. Woyessa
Hydrology 2022, 9(8), 149; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9080149 - 18 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2139
Abstract
In developing countries with data scarcity challenges, an integrated approach is required to enhance the estimation of streamflow variability for the design of water supply systems, hydropower generation, environmental flows, water allocation and pollution studies. The Flow Duration Curve (FDC) was adopted as [...] Read more.
In developing countries with data scarcity challenges, an integrated approach is required to enhance the estimation of streamflow variability for the design of water supply systems, hydropower generation, environmental flows, water allocation and pollution studies. The Flow Duration Curve (FDC) was adopted as a tool that is influenced by topography, land use land cover, discharge and climate change. The data from Global Climate Model (GCM) projections, based on Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios, were used as input data for the SWAT model for the simulation of streamflow. The FDCs were then derived from the simulated streamflow. The FDC for RCP 4.5 showed insignificant differences, whilst for RCP 8.5 it showed an increase of 5–10% in FDC from the baseline period, which is likely to increase the hydropower generation potential with some considerable streamflow variability. The integrated approach of utilizing FDC, GIS and SWAT for the estimation of flow variability and hydropower generation potential could be useful in data scarce regions. Full article
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20 pages, 7027 KiB  
Article
Is Greenhouse Rainwater Harvesting Enough to Satisfy the Water Demand of Indoor Crops? Application to the Bolivian Altiplano
by Juan-Manuel Sayol, Veriozka Azeñas, Carlos E. Quezada, Isabel Vigo and Jean-Paul Benavides López
Hydrology 2022, 9(6), 107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9060107 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2605
Abstract
As many other regions worldwide, the Bolivian Altiplano has to cope with water scarcity during dry periods, which in turn impacts on crop production as flood irrigation is overwhelmingly extended in the region. Since farming is the main income in the Altiplano for [...] Read more.
As many other regions worldwide, the Bolivian Altiplano has to cope with water scarcity during dry periods, which in turn impacts on crop production as flood irrigation is overwhelmingly extended in the region. Since farming is the main income in the Altiplano for most families, the availability of greenhouses with water harvesting systems may represent a solution to warrant all year round production and food access. We study the daily satisfied water demand from a balance between rainfall collected by a greenhouse roof and water used for indoor crop irrigation assuming a tank is available for water storage. This balance is analyzed for 25 greenhouses spread over Batallas Municipality, close to Titicaca Lake, Bolivia, and for two case studies: (i) using irrigation data collected from farmers in the frame of a regional project; (ii) using theoretical daily water requirements assuming an intense greenhouse farming. Our evaluation includes a sensitivity analysis of relevant parameters, such as the influence of the time window of rainfall used in the simulation, the runoff coefficient, the roof surface area, the irrigation drip system, the irrigation frequency, the crop coefficient, the volume of water used for crop irrigation, and the capacity of the water tank. Overall, we find that the runoff coefficient has little impact on the satisfied demand rate, while all other parameters can play an important role depending on the greenhouse considered. Some greenhouses are able to irrigate crops normally during the wet season, while during the dry season, greenhouses are not able to satisfy more than 50% of the theoretical water requirements, even when large tanks are considered. Based on these results, we recommend the construction of greenhouses with a ground surface of <50 m2 attached to the largest available covered water tank. The information here provided can be used by stakeholders to decide their policies of investment in infrastructures in the Altiplano. Finally, the approach we follow can be applied to any other region where rainfall, temperature, and greenhouse data are available. Full article
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13 pages, 5190 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Climate Change on the Water Supply and Hydraulic Conditions in the Upper Pejibaye River Basin, Cartago, Costa Rica
by Fernando Watson-Hernández, Isabel Guzmán-Arias, Laura Chavarría-Pizarro and Francisco Quesada-Alvarado
Hydrology 2022, 9(5), 76; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9050076 - 04 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2382
Abstract
The consequences of climate change have challenged researchers to generate models and projections to understand climate behavior under different scenarios. In Costa Rica, as in other countries, climate-change (CC) models and projections are essential to make decisions about the management of natural resources, [...] Read more.
The consequences of climate change have challenged researchers to generate models and projections to understand climate behavior under different scenarios. In Costa Rica, as in other countries, climate-change (CC) models and projections are essential to make decisions about the management of natural resources, mainly water. To understand climate change’s impact on hydraulic parameters such as velocity, depth, and river surface area, we studied the Pejibaye river basin, located in Jiménez in Cartago, Costa Rica. This watershed is characterized by having more than 90% of its surface area covered by forest. We used the precipitation and temperature data from meteorological stations (2000 to 2009) and climate-change scenarios (2000–2099) to predict the response of the basin in different periods. First, we calibrated (NSE = 0.77) and validated (NSE = 0.81) the HBV hydrological model using ten years of daily data from 2000 to 2009. The climate-change data (2000–2099) were incorporated into the calibrated HBV model. This allowed us to determine the impact of CC on the basin water regime for the periods 2040–2059 (CCS1) and 2080–2099 (CCS2). The IBER mathematical model was used to determine the changes in the hydraulic variables of the river flow. For the CCS1, we determined a 10.9% decrease in mean velocity and a 0.1-meter decrease in depth, while for CCS2, the effect will be an 11.3% reduction in mean velocity and a 0.14-meter decrease in depth. The largest decreases in river surface area per kilometer will occur in May (1710 m2) for CCS1 and April (2250 m2) for CCS2. Full article
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12 pages, 3755 KiB  
Article
Correction of Empirical Equations Known as “Strickler-Type” for the Calculation of the Manning’s Roughness Coefficient for Costa Rica’s Northern Pacific Conditions
by Valeria Serrano-Núñez, Fernando Watson-Hernández, Isabel Guzmán-Arias, Laura Chavarría-Pizarro and Francisco Quesada-Alvarado
Hydrology 2022, 9(5), 71; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9050071 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2067
Abstract
When using numerical models for hydraulic simulations of rivers, calibration is key to be able to reflect accurately the interaction of water flow in the channel and to make it resemble what is observed. In this study, a calibrated two-dimensional hydraulic model was [...] Read more.
When using numerical models for hydraulic simulations of rivers, calibration is key to be able to reflect accurately the interaction of water flow in the channel and to make it resemble what is observed. In this study, a calibrated two-dimensional hydraulic model was created for two control paths located in the Ahogados and Tempisquito rivers. Paths were analyzed morphologically from a grain-size analysis and the different roughness coefficients were calculated through a numerical model using the empirical equations known as “Strickler-type” as a first approximation and later adjustment by a factor obtained from comparing the observed and simulated data. It was identified that both paths are mountain rivers with beds of coarse material, mostly boulders (cobble gravel) and pebble gravel. Calibrated roughness coefficients were determined with an error percentage between the area of the pattern formed by the simulated and observed of less than 10%, and new empirical equations adjusted to the characteristics of the riverbeds were formulated. Full article
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24 pages, 19658 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Hydrological Processes in an Ungauged Catchment in Eritrea
by Elisa Baioni, Giovanni Michele Porta, Nelly Cattaneo and Alberto Guadagnini
Hydrology 2022, 9(5), 68; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9050068 - 24 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1839
Abstract
This study investigates the surface processes taking place in an ungauged catchment in the Foro region in Eritrea (East Africa). We focus on estimating river discharge, sediment transport, and surface runoff to characterize hydrological fluxes in the area and provide a preliminary quantification [...] Read more.
This study investigates the surface processes taking place in an ungauged catchment in the Foro region in Eritrea (East Africa). We focus on estimating river discharge, sediment transport, and surface runoff to characterize hydrological fluxes in the area and provide a preliminary quantification of sediment transport and erosion. In this context, an overarching objective of the research is the study of the catchment associated with the Foro Dam. The latter comprises a silted reservoir formerly employed for agricultural water supply. The main traits associated with the system behavior across the watershed are assessed for a variety of combinations of the parameters governing the hydrological model selected. A detailed sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify the effects of the hydrological parameters on the estimated results. Numerical analyses are then performed to obtain an appraisal of expected water and sediment fluxes. Outputs of interest are largely dominated by the curve number parameter. Full article
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26 pages, 8960 KiB  
Communication
Establishing Stage–Discharge Rating Curves in Developing Countries: Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia
by Teshager A. Negatu, Fasikaw A. Zimale and Tammo S. Steenhuis
Hydrology 2022, 9(1), 13; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology9010013 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 828965
Abstract
A significant constraint in water resource development in developing countries is the lack of accurate river discharge data. Stage–discharge measurements are infrequent, and rating curves are not updated after major storms. Therefore, the objective is to develop accurate stage–discharge rating curves with limited [...] Read more.
A significant constraint in water resource development in developing countries is the lack of accurate river discharge data. Stage–discharge measurements are infrequent, and rating curves are not updated after major storms. Therefore, the objective is to develop accurate stage–discharge rating curves with limited measurements. The Lake Tana basin in the upper reaches of the Blue Nile in the Ethiopian Highlands is typical for the lack of reliable streamflow data in Africa. On average, one stage–discharge measurement per year is available for the 21 gaging stations over 60 years or less. To obtain accurate and unique stage–discharge curves, the discharge was expressed as a function of the water level and a time-dependent offset from zero. The offset was expressed as polynomial functions of time (up to order 4). The rating curve constants and the coefficients for the polynomial were found by minimizing the errors between observed and predicted fluxes for the available stage–discharge data. It resulted in unique rating curves with R2 > 0.85 for the four main rivers. One of the river bottoms of the alluvial channels increased in height by up to 3 m in 60 years. In the upland channels, most offsets changed by less than 50 cm. The unique rating curves that account for temporal riverbed changes can aid civil engineers in the design of reservoirs, water managers in improving reservoir management, programmers in calibration and validation of hydrology models and scientists in ecological research. Full article
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16 pages, 6493 KiB  
Article
Flood Mitigation Measure and Water Storage in East Africa: An Analysis for the Rio Muaguide, Mozambique
by Sara Rrokaj, Benedetta Corti, Anna Giovannini, Giorgio Cancelliere, Davide Biotto and Alessio Radice
Hydrology 2021, 8(2), 92; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/hydrology8020092 - 11 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 828129
Abstract
In the last century, floods have been more frequently hitting population and human activity, especially in the sub-Saharan context. The aim of this study is to propose suitable flood mitigation measures for the downstream part of the Rio Muaguide, which flows in northern [...] Read more.
In the last century, floods have been more frequently hitting population and human activity, especially in the sub-Saharan context. The aim of this study is to propose suitable flood mitigation measures for the downstream part of the Rio Muaguide, which flows in northern Mozambique. In this terminal part of the river, the bed has been buried by sediment in many reaches; due to the reduction of the section conveyance, wide areas are inundated during the rainy season with negative consequences for several villages relying on subsistence agriculture. The design of any measure requires quantitative determinations but, as many less developed countries, Mozambique is affected by data scarcity. Therefore, in this study global and freely available data have been used to perform hydrologic and two-dimensional hydro-dynamic modelling, finally producing a flood hazard map. Particular care has been put into a critical analysis of several data sources, in terms of their suitability for the purposes of the work. Based on the modelling results and on field evidence, an intervention has been proposed with a double functionality of mitigating the effects of periodic floods and storing water to be used by the agricultural community during drier seasons. The proposed intervention combines restoring a sedimentation-less shape of the river sections and exploiting a natural basin as a storage basin. The methods applied and the intervention proposed for the Rio Muaguide are prototypal for several analogous streams in the coastal portion of Mozambique. Full article
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