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abstract 894

A Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Network and Water Quality Indices for River Nile

Author(s): Amir Ali Khan, Haseen Khan, Shaden Abdel-Gawad
Dr. Amir Ali Khan Manager, Water Resources Management Division, Department of Environment and Conservation Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, PO Box 8700, St. John’s NL A1B 4J6 Canada Telephone Number: ++1709 729 2295 Fax Number: ++17097290320 E-Mail : akhan@gov.nl.ca Mr. Haseen Khan, P.Eng. Manager, Water Resources Management Division, Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation, Canada Prof (Dr.) Shaden Abdel-Gawad President, National Water Research Center, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt

Keyword(s): Real time water quality monitoring, water quality indices, River Nile, trans-boundary monitoring, index network, integrated water resources management

Article:

Poster:

Session: OS1n Water quality 2

AbstractIntroduction:

The history, culture, current and future socio-

economic status, and environmental sustainability of Egypt and its people is intricately linked with the River Nile. The

Nile River is the primary source of water for a multitude of strategically important water uses such as drinking,

fishing, industrial use, livestock and irrigation and there is a critical need to ensure the security of the Nile River

against any natural or anthropogenic threats and to develop an effective Water Resources Management System.

Objective:

Addressing this need, a “state of the art” environmental monitoring and sensing system is

being implemented for the Nile River in Egypt through a NATO “Science for Peace” Project. The “Science for

Peace” project, initiated in July 2007, is setting up for the Nile River an environmental security and water resources

management system using real time water quality warning and communication. This will allow Egypt to ensure

environmental security of its water bodies and enhance integrated water resources

management.

Methods:

Real time water quality warning will be provided through a four station Real

Time Water Quality monitoring index network complemented with an automated weather station with a central

command centre. In parallel, an Egyptian Water Quality Index, a critical tool for water resources management, will

be developed to evaluate and communicate the suitability of water bodies in Egypt for various uses such as drinking,

irrigation, livestock, aquatic life and recreation. The Egyptian Water Quality Index will provide an easy to use and

scientifically defensible methodology for evaluating water quality based on its intended use and for converting water

quality data into information and then into knowledge.

Results:

This paper outlines the concept behind

the environmental monitoring network, its scope, environmental benefits. The paper discusses the progress made to

date and presents the initial results from the real time water quality network. It highlights the challenges encountered

in establishing the environmental security and water resources management system. The paper presents the results of

the initial application of the Egyptian Water Quality Index including how the challenge of the scarcity of use based

water quality guidelines was overcome.

Conclusion:

The paper also outlines how Egypt plans to expand

the index network to address trans-boundary monitoring of Nile River and the monitoring of Groundwater and

Drainage Water.

Events

The congress

Programme

Practical Infos

A Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Network and Water Quality Indices for River Nile