Integrated Water Resources Plan Using An Optimization Model

As part of the City of Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management (DWM) transition into a 5-year rolling Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Atlanta Program Management Services Team (PMST) was tasked with developing the Atlanta Integrated Water Resources Plan (IWRP) to incorporate project recommendations from the City's three recently completed master plans for water, wastewater, and stormwater into an integrated CIP. This effort was especially difficult as the City's available budget for CIP projects was being significantly reduced from normal years because of the adverse revenue impacts associated with the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertain economic recovery forecasts for the 5-year rolling CIP time frame. This paper details the successful development of an optimization model designed to maximize triple bottom line (TBL) and risk reduction benefits from the universe of potential water, wastewater, and stormwater projects while meeting tight financial budget limitations. The optimization model was based on OptimizerTM software by Optimatics that uses a heuristic learning algorithm, which is an approach designed to solve multi-criteria problems in a faster and more efficient manner that favors speed of process over absolute accuracy or completeness. The model used in Atlanta was the 3-dimensional (3-D) version to accumulate as much triple bottom line per dollar (TBL/$) and risk reduction per dollar (RRB/$) as early as possible in the planning horizon while minimizing budget expenditures. Copyright © 2022 Water Environment Federation.

Using Hydrological Concepts and an Artificial Neural Network to Model the Rate for COVID-19 Infections versus Deaths

Models were run to reproduce COVID-19 infections versus deaths in Mexico City. The first model was made using rain runoff concept, emulating rain as number of infections reproducing runoff as number of deaths given as of March 2020. The second consisted of using an artificial neural network (ANN) proposed as an initial condition function to be implemented in the model with delay. These models were applied to fit accumulated confirmed case data, obtaining fit corroborated by coefficient of determination, R2. The R2 value produced by model was 0.0528 in case of infections comparison vs. official deaths reported by the Ministry of Health, 0.0571 for t case of infections vs. modelling using the HEC-HMS tool, and 0.0937 for case of contagion vs. modelling using ANN.

Effect of agroforestry on community wellbeing in Kyannamukaaka Sub County, Masaka

Community wellbeing is dependent on agroforestry, which provides social, economic, health and ecological benefits for man, and has proved essential in the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper purposely examines the effect of agroforestry on community wellbeing with a focus on the benefits of tree-crop interactions on community's wellbeing, and limitations to adoption of tree-crop interactions in Kyanamukaaka Sub County. The paper employs a cross-sectional survey design using qualitative data collection approaches. The paper targets 35 farmers from which 32 practicing in tree-crop interactions were determined by Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. Respondents were purposely selected and participated in the study. Data was collected through interview, observation and documentary review. Later, it was organized, transcribed and triangulated to develop themes for interpretation, analysis and discussion. Results indicate that tree-crop interactions offer socioeconomic [food (96.9%), local herbs (100%), fodder (52.6%), raw material (62.5%), firewood and income (90.6%), employment (37.5%) and ecological (conserves soil fertility and moisture conservation (50%)), controls soil erosion runoff (59.4%), protect soil health (28.1%) and act as habitats organisms (34.4%)] benefits. Furthermore, other themes included;climate change (84.4%), land size and ownership (90.6%), inadequate competences (50%) anthropocentrism (56.2%), poor quality and high costs of farm inputs (96.9%) and diseases (93.7%) as limitations to adoption of tree-crop interactions. The paper concludes that tree-crop interactions were of benefit to the community. However, observations show that some households had no trees while the others cut trees unsustainably on their farmlands. Therefore, to increase adoption of tree-crop interactions and diversity, Kyannamukaaka Sub County and Masaka District should create awareness and build farmers' capacity in climate change resilience, underground forestry management, tree growing and energy efficient technologies.