Author(s)

W. M. A. Khalifa

Abstract

A study is applied to simulate the water quality along El-Salam canal which was constructed to provide irrigation water in the northern Delta and northern Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The canal receives both freshwater from Damietta branch and polluted drainage water from the Bahr Hadous, as well as drainage water delivered by the Lower Serw pumping station. The focus of this study is to simulate the oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and ammonia (NH4) based on reaeration rates, measured concentration of DO, COD, and NH4 and assumed growth and respiration parameters of algae and bacteria using the computerized program for aquatic simulation systems (AQUASIM). Due to lack of data for quantifying these processes, this last model application is speculative. Nevertheless, it is interesting because it shows a direction to which river water quality modeling would have to proceed in order to increase its predictive capabilities. The calibrated model is useful for the prediction of possible water quality along the canal when it comes into full operation. Keywords: water quality models, El-Salam canal, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrification, primary production, respiration, COD, eutrophication.

Keywords

water quality models, El-Salam canal, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrification, primary production, respiration, COD, eutrophication.