Thesis (MEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The processes of monitoring, modelling and managing the water quality of a catchmerit
system including all its unique complexities and interrelationships requires an innovative tool
or set of tools to help water managers with their decision making.
Numerous methods and tools have been developed to analyse and model the real world.
However, many of these tools require a fair degree of technical expertise and training to
operate correctly and their output may have to be translated or converted to meaningful
information for decision-making using a further set of analytical and graphical display tools.
A more appropriate technique for management would be to combine all these functions into a
single system. The objective of this research was to develop one such tool, an integrated water
quality information system (WQIS).
A review of the literature revealed that there has been extensive research and development of
tools for the management of individual aspects of water resource distribution, augmentation
and quality. However, these tools have rarely been integrated into a comprehensive
information system offering decision support to a wide variety of river users and managers.
Many of the literature sources also noted that a process of interactive development and
integration (i.e. including the intended users in the decision of which components to include,
the interface design and the graphical display and output) was vital to ensuring the
information system becomes an integral part of the users routine work and decision-making.
The WQIS was developed using the recommendations from numerous knowledgeable persons
in response to questionnaires, interviews and a prototype demonstration. It includes the results
of hydrodynamic river and reservoir simulations and the ability to perform operational river
scenario testing. However, the development process is continual and always evolving based
on the current or local requirements of water managers. These further developments and
research needs are discussed in more detail in the conclusion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proses om die waterkwaliteit van 'n opvanggebied, met al die unieke kompleksiteite en
onderlinge verhoudings van so 'n stelsel te monitor, modelleer en bestuur, vereis 'n
innoverende instrument om waterbestuurders te ondersteun in hul besluitnemings.
Talle instrumente en metodes vir die ontleding en modellering van die werklikheid is reeds
ontwikkel. Die gebruik van hierdie instrumente vereis gewoonlik 'n redelike mate van
tegniese kundigheid en opleiding. Dit mag verder nodig wees om die uitvoer van sulke
instrumente te vertaal en/of om te skakel na betekenisvolle inligting vir besluitneming deur
die gebruik van bykomende analitiese en grafiese vertoon instrumente. 'n Meer toepaslike
bestuurstegniek sou wees om al die funksies in 'n enkele stelsel te kombineer. Die doel van
hierdie navorsing was om een so 'n instrument, naamlik 'n geïntegreerde waterkwaliteit
inligtingstelsel (WQIS), te ontwikkel.
'n Hersiening van bestaande literatuur het getoon dat daar omvattende navorsing en
ontwikkeling van instrumente gedoen is vir die bestuur van individuele aspekte van
waterbronverspreiding, waterbronaanvulling en waterkwaliteit. Integrasie van hierdie
instrumente, in 'n uitgebreide stelsel wat besluitnemingsondersteuning aan 'n verskeidenheid
riviergebruikers en bestuurders bied, kom egter selde voor. Verskeie literatuurbronne het ook
aangedui dat 'n proses van interaktiewe ontwikkeling en integrasie (m.a.w. in agname van die
voorgenome gebruikers se behoeftes in die kense van komponente, die gebruiker raakvlak
ontwerp en grafiese vertoon instrumente en uitvoer) noodsaaklik is om te verseker dat die
inigtingstelsel 'n integrale deel word van die gebruiker se daaglikse roetine en
besluitnemingsproses.
Die WQIS is ontwikkel deur gebruikmaking van die insette en aanbevelings van verskeie
kenners in reaksie op vraelyste, onderhoude en 'n demonstrasie van 'n prototype. Dit sluit in
die resultate van hidro-dinamiese rivier en dam simulasies en die vermoë om operasionele
rivier scenario ontledings uit te voer. Die ontwikkeling is egter 'n deurlopende proses,
gebaseer op huidige of plaaslike behoeftes van waterbestuurders. Hierdie verdere
ontwikkelings- en navorsingsbehoeftes word meer breedvoerig in die gevolgtrekkings
bespreek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52054 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Tukker, Mary Jean |
| Contributors | Gorgens, A. H. M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 v. (various pagings) : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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