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1.0 Preamble:
Ever since history was recorded, Lebanon has been known and envied for its fresh waters. The combination of its climate, geography, vegetation and topography has all contributed in one way or another to our massive wealth of water supply and to its sustainability.
Lebanese water resources can very broadly be classified into two groups : surface waters and underground waters. The former is made up of a number of rivers, streams, naturally occurring fresh water springs whereas the latter includes many underground water streams and artesian wells.
In terms of attitude, the Lebanese have generally been passive towards their water resources, and still lack the full appreciation for the importance of such a natural resource. As such, their general approach has lacked the strategic planning required for its future sustainability, organisation and protection. It has to be mentioned that the works of the late Ibrahim Abd El Al [1] are true exception to the way the Lebanese treat their natural gifts and their waters in particular.
It is common knowledge nowadays that these resources are being depleted very quickly through overuse, lack of maintenance, neglect, unregulated contamination and haphazard irrigation. It is for the fisrt time that one hears government agencies and local authorities talking about the severity and the urgency of the depletion of our water reserves. This, to the extent of even considering desalination of sea water as inevitable in the near future. This is despite the fact that millions of gallons of water, whether from precipitation, rivers or streams, are lost to the sea every year.
It is obvious from the above discussion that a thorough, detailed and accurate assessment of the water situation is urgently required for the whole country ; and this is surely beyond the scope of this proposal. Prior to any such exercise, there should be available reliable, up-to-date data on all our water resources, and this is where the University of Balamand could make its contribution. The proposal detailed hereunder outlines a field study in which data is gathered on a very valuable aspect of our water system, often taken for granted and seldom enters our calculations ; namely fresh water springs and wells. These are literally scattered up and down the country, and many citizens continue to rely on them for their drinking and domestic use. However, up to the present, their numbers, flow rates, nature of use and quality of their waters are not yet quantified.
This proposal outlines the basic methods for acquiring such data and sets out the means for its analysis using modern day technology. It seeks to combine the strengths of satellite based Global Positioning Systems with the capabilities of Geographical Information Systems for data analysis. In so doing a global picture of fresh water availability from natural springs can be built which is valuable in setting out future distribution strategies in the north of the country. North Lebanon is chosen in the first instance as the target medium for the study due the widespread of springs in this Muhafaza, as well as to its proximity to the University.
2.0 The Proposal:
2.1 Aim
The aim of the proposed project is to design a Geographical Information System for the analysis of fresh water resources in Lebanon.
2.2 Objectives
The aim of the project will be achieved by fulfilling the following set of objectives :
2.3 Elaboration
The project proposed herein will start by deciding on the attributes necessary to allow for an objective assessment of fresh water springs and artificial wells. Also at this stage careful evaluation of the exact outcomes has to be conducted in order to ensure that all necessary data is gathered from field stations. Thereafter, a field study will be initiated in all seven Qada’as of the North Lebanon Muhafaza. A team of Engineering researchers will search and identify locations of Artesian and naturally occurring springs in order to compile the necessary information. It has to be emphasised that it is not the intent of this study to search for data in the urban areas like Tripoli or Batroun, but to establish data from more rural regions in Akkar, Koura, Dinniyyeh, etc.
Once a station is identified, specific information will be logged from it. To begin with, a GPS will log its exact geographical location. In addition, data pertaining to its discharge, nature of use, quality, etc., will also be noted. Such information will be input to a specially designed databse which will allow for its proper management in terms of entry, retrieval, presentation and analysis. Specific queries will be built which will search the database for specific criteria such as total water availability, contamination, population dependence, nature of use, and so on.
Database information can at this stage be easily linked to the GIS. This will allow for a number of features not possible within conventional databases to be investigated. First, the global picture of water springs and wells could be seen on digitised maps. Also, the geographical feature of each station could be assessed relative to other stations, settlements, villages and the like. Additionally, zonal analysis could be conducted in order to investigate global water aspects in a particular area or region of dimensions and extents specified by the user.
The University of Balamand has gained considerable experience in GIS technology through working on a number of related projects [3,4]. The work proposed herein will be conducted in the newly established GIS laboratory, which at present houses some excellent and modern facilities.
3.0 Program of Work:
The objectives of the project presented in the previous sections will be achieved in a clearly defined chronological sequence, which includes five distinct stages. Preliminary preparations and literature studies will be followed by data collection and field work. Compiled data will form the entered to a structured database for query design and analysis and GIS work. Subsequent results will be discussed and disseminated through a final thesis, conference and scientific journal publications.
3.1 Preparatory Work
In the early stages of the project efforts will be directed at ensuring that all the necessary requirements for the conclusion project are available. A literature review on the subject of water resources and GIS in the region has to be initiated. Additionally, careful attention has to be paid at defining the exact attributes and details which have to be gathered from a specific site. In this respect objective data sheets will have to be designed, validated and compared. It is anticipated that this work should last for two months from the day of the start of the project. In line with this work, a database compatible with data requirements has to be designed and tested to allow for data entry, storage, retrieval and query. It is anticipated that phase of work should last for the first two months of the project.
3.2 Data Collection and Field Studies:
Following the preparatory work, the field study will be started. This will involve a lengthy and thorough process of data acquisition from the rural region of North Lebanon. University researchers will be scouting for fresh water outlets by talking to the local population and authorities. Once a fresh water source is identified, its exact geographical location is coded in terms of latitude and longitude using GPS. Further details, such as nature of use, water quality and flow rates will also be noted. It must be emphasized that some of these attributes are qualitative and must be obtained by word-of-mouth from end-users in the particular locality.
As far as flow measurements are concerned, those in the first instance will be done rather crudely but over a number of times from a particular source in order to assess seasonal fluctuations. This is inline with the project objectives which seeks to build a global picture of the water situation in the north which can act as the platform for further improvement and expansion in due course. The data collection phase should span over six months.
3.3 Data Entry and Query Design
Following the data acquisition process, data will have to be entered to the data base. This will have to be an ongoing process in which data is constantly updated and queried. In parallel with the above, geographical location of fresh water sources will have to be entered onto the GIS. Data base queries will be linked to the GIS so that resources can be globally compared, assessed and analyzed. This will be a phase parallel to b) above.
3.4 Data Analysis
Data analysis will be performed on two types of results, statistical and geographical. In either case the types of analysis will be dependent on the quality of the data acquired. This stage of the project is anticipated to last for two months.
3.5 Report Writing and Results Dissemination
The last two months of the project will be devoted to writing up the findings of the research. A thesis will be produced compiling the data acquired, its analysis and its significance. Dissemination of these results will take place in scientific journals as well as local and international conferences.
The chart below outlines the project work flow.
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4.0 Closure:
It is the Author’s opinion that the work proposed herein constitutes a very necessary first step in the process of us as a nation knowing exactly what we have. Water has always been our one and most valuable resource and this proposal takes us closer to the modern management and sustainability of our water supplies.
References: