Hydrologic research is important in developing, managing, and controlling water resources in South Sudan
3 min read
Ayuen Dot
“As far as Hydrology & Hydraulic analysis is concerned, cleaning and clearing of waterways should be done after approved of credible Environmental and Social Impacts Assessments (ESIA) from Ministry of Environment & Forestry.”
By Philip Ayuen Dot, Juba, South Sudan
Monday, April 3, 2023 (PW) — Hydrology and hydraulics study water flow, including its properties and behaviour. The field tells us how much water a river has, its depth, how the water changes its properties as it flows, and what its pressure is. It also concerns groundwater, such as aquifers, size, and water amount. Precipitation and evaporation are also some of the hydrology’s concerns. It also includes the relationship between land and water.
Hydrologic research is important in developing, managing, and controlling water resources. Its applications are manifold and include irrigation systems development, flood and land-erosion control, waste-water disposal and treatment, pollution abatement, recreational use of water, fish and wildlife preservation, hydropower generation, and the design of hydraulic structures.
Any project dealing with a water body, an aquifer, evaporation, and aquatic animals requires a hydrology analysis. A hydrology analysis made Egypt beg and threaten Ethiopia not to build their Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam.
Because they calculated the amount of water they would lose and its effects on water flow and their farming activities.
The lack of hydrology studies before nations embark on projects has led many to believe that World War 3 will be fought over clean water. About 71% of the earth is covered in water. 96.5% of that water is found in naturally salty oceans.
Leaving only 3% as freshwater. Most of that 3% is locked up in glaciers and aquifers, leaving about 1% as surface water. This is the water in our lakes, streams, rivers, springs, and swamps.
This means that doing a water-based project is a do-or-die situation. Water is a limited resource that only gives a little room for experimenting. You finish a people’s water; you sentence them to death. As clear that humans cannot live without water. Neither can their cattle survive nor can their plants grow.
A big thanks to His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit for ordering an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment before cleaning Naam River; this move is so pleasing to the early call for feasibility studies by the environmentalist and concerned Citizens.
Hon Josephine Napwon had to bring in competent like-mind individuals or companies to conduct scientific research to bring the best studies of this important assessment.
Hydrology studies are done to show the extent of the proposed activity’s effect on the environment and on humans. They give actual figures or approximate figures of the expected change.
For example, for a dam, given its size, hydrologists can calculate and tell us how long it will take to fill, what its effects will be on the downstream river and the surrounding area, and the biodiversity that depends on that water’s property.
The author is a well-trained Environmentalist, researcher, and Independent Opinion writer on environmental issues, and social and economic topics and can be reached via his email: Philipdot57@gmail.com.
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