2015 International conference on Water Resource and Environment(WRE 2015)

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Dr Miklas Scholz

CWEM, CEnv, CSci, CEng, FHEA, FIEMA, FCIWEM, FICE, Fellow of IWA
Chair in Civil Engineering, Head of the Civil Engineering Research Group, Civil Engineering
Research Group, School of Computing, Science and Engineering, The University of Salford, United Kingdom

Speech Title: Rapid expert tools based on ecosystem services variables for retrofitting of sustainable drainage systems

Abstract: There is a need for a geospatial decision support tool for different professions such as drainage engineers and urban planners, which is useful for a quick assessment of the potential of ecosystem services when retrofitting sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in urban areas. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to develop an innovative rapid decision support tool based on ecosystem service variables for retrofitting of key SuDS techniques by different professionals such as drainage engineers, developers, ecologists, planners and social scientists. This unique and transparent spreadsheet-based tool proposes the retrofitting of a SuDS technique that obtained the highest ecosystem service score for an urban site. This approach is based on a novel ecosystem service philosophy adapted to SuDS rather than on traditional engineering judgement associated with variables based on quick community and environment assessments. For the Greater Manchester example case study area, a comparison with the traditional approach of determining community and environment variables indicates that infiltration trenches, soakaways and belowground storage systems are usually less preferred than permeable pavement systems regardless of the professional perspective. However, ponds also received relatively high scores, because of their great potential impact in terms of water quality improvement and flood control. The estimation of variables was undertaken with high confidence and manageable error.

Prof. Shu-Qing Yang

School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

Speech Title: COASTAL RESERVOIR-THE TREND OF WATER SUPPLY IN NEW ERA

Abstract: Water shortage can be caused by population growth that drives the growth of water demand for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. Water shortage in water-rich areas can be also caused by water pollution. The water problem caused by poor quality and insufficient quantity has been widely noted and well informed among the researchers, decision makers and ordinary people, but not much research considers these facts: 1) more and more people migrate to the coastal areas; 2) sedimentation by soil erosion reduces the storage capacity of existing reservoirs 1% annually, or almost all existing reservoirs will be silt in the following 50-100 years; 3) for developed countries, it is almost impossible to build new dams to replace the lost storage, thus a big question to ask is where the people to find their drinking water in future. The answer provided in this keynote speech is that in future almost everyone will drink the water from coastal reservoirs- freshwater reservoirs inside seawater. We will reviews the development of coastal reservoir, its difference with the inland reservoirs and highlights why coastal reservoirs will dominate tomorrow’s water supply. Its possible application for Beijing’s water crisis will be discussed after the completion of China’s South-North Water Diversion project.

Prof. Panagiotis Karanis

One Thousand Talents Plan of the Chinese Government
Center for Biomedicine and Infectious Diseases
Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, China

Speech Title: Waterborne protozoan parasites: The big challenge for the water industries

Abstract: The present lecture focuses on historical facts, analytical review, evolution and update on development and evaluation of complete methods for the detection of waterborne protozoa in drinking and environmental waters. It ends up with some quite pragmatic facts, recommendations and solutions and lessons learnt regarding the epidemiology and removal of waterborne parasites by the water treatment. The number of waterborne parasitic outbreaks is still increasing due to the better surveillance and reporting systems in several countries and continents. Quantity and intensity of the undiagnosed outbreaks stay uncovered. Data about those countries that are probably concerned most are lacking. However, countries that established surveillance systems did not establish an international standardization of reporting systems.

Prof. Govindasamy Agoramoorthy

Distinguished Research Professor, Tajen University, Taiwan
Tata Visiting Chair, NM Sadguru Water and Development Foundation, India

Speech Title: Water resource problems and solutions in India's ecologically-fragile drylands

Abstract: Water scarcity has become a crisis now in India due to dwindling surface and groundwater resources. Groundwater is an open-access resource so over-exploitation (251 bcm in 2010 alone) leads to widespread decline across the country. India’s economy is linked to the seasonal monsoon because of its water resource. Some areas in Western Ghats forest region in the south receive heavy rainfall, even reaching up to 6 inches daily, causing extensive damage. However, most of the water cannot be harvested for later use, owing to inadequate storage facilities. Global water use has tripled since the 1950s and policy makers and politicians have met this increasing demand by building large dams. Can large dams solve chronic water shortages, food security and environmental integrity? What about building numerous eco-friendly check dams across rivers? Can they enhance sustainable development in India’s harsh drylands? This keynote speech explains the model of building cost-effective check dams in rivers to harvest rainwater. Water saved through check dams not only transform the infertile drylands into productive agricultural lands, but also increase ground water recharge ultimately benefiting the environment. This eco-friendly check dam model has remarkable potential to be replicated in dryland-dominated developing countries to reduce irrigation water stress, minimize river water conflicts and mitigate climate change.

Prof. M. Bahadir

Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry
Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany

Speech Title: EXCEED – Excellence Center for Development Cooperation – Sustainable Water Management in Developing Countries

Abstract: “Exceed SWM – Excellence Centre for Development Cooperation - Sustainable Water Management in Developing Countries” is a project for capacity building through higher education and joint research. The Exceed SWM Project started 2009 at the Braunschweig University. It is one of five MDG Projects at German Universities that are awarded substantial funding for five years by German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ, and German Academic Exchange Service DAAD. Pioneering research and academic cooperation projects with partners from Latin America, Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, and South-East Asia have been developed with a strong focus on sustainable and transferable solutions for each region’s predominant water-related issues. These cover inter alia, water in arid and semiarid regions, use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation, droughts and floods, water and health, and water and climate change. More...

Prof. Paul R Hunter

The Norwich School of Medicine
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ
England

Speech Title: Drinking Water Quality or Availability – Which is more important for human health?

Abstract: The Quality versus Quantity debate has continued to one degree or another for almost 30 years. The debate concerns whether or not it is more important to focus our efforts on improving the quality of drinking water or the quantity/availability of water. In the first part of this presentation, I will review the history of this debate. In his landmark review article, Esrey (1991) found that increasing water availability was much more important than efforts to improve water quality.More...

Prof. Nigel Wright

Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering
Head of the School of Civil Engineering
University of Leeds, UK

Speech Title: Sustainable Surface Water Management

Abstract: The impact of surface water through flooding is increasing due to economic growth, urbanisation and increased climate variability. Traditional approaches of defence and increased drainage capacity are longer feasible due to excessive cost, societal acceptance and adverse environmental impact. In this lecture I will discuss new approaches in terms of their fundamental basis and their application in several cities across the world.

Prof. Zhi Chen, P. Eng.

Department of Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering
Concordia University
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Speech Title: Simulation-based environmental systems analysis for strategic management of water resources issues

Abstract: Impacts on the water resources from human activities have become more intricate than before due to cumulative effects of both traditional and emerging water contaminants. New modeling efforts are being put forward to understand elaborate water pollution and design effective strategies on managing the emission and water quality. For example, modeling studies of various amounts of wastewater discharge into the surface water have helped to understand pollutant dispersion behaviors in the aquatic system and in further evaluating the environmental effects on the receiving waters. This talk presents an integrated three-dimensional (3D) approach for the simulation of waste water discharges in offshore areas. Specifically, an explicit second-order finite difference method was used to model the far-field pollutant dispersion behavior, and this method was coupled with the jet-plume model JETLAG with an extension of the 3D cross flow conditions to simulate the near-field mixing processes. A dynamic coupling technique with full consideration of the interaction between the discharged waste effluents and receiving waters was employed in the model. A case study was conducted on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Canada. The field validation of the modeling results was conducted for both the near-field and far-field dispersion processes, and the modeling results were in good agreement with the field observations. The developed modeling approach is also extended to include a risk assessment model and a stochastic modeling function and to quantify system uncertainties as well as the variation of regional environmental standards. Essentially, a novel simulation-based systems analysis tool is presented in this talk to support examining and managing complex water resources issues.

Professor Philip J Boon

Head of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Scottish Natural Heritage, UK

Speech Title: From water quality to water quantity: the role of hydrological assessment in freshwater nature conservation

Abstract: The task of assessing the ‘quality’ of fresh waters, including assessments that are made for the purposes of nature conservation, has evolved steadily over the past 50 years. From an exclusive focus on water chemistry there has been a growing appreciation that habitats and the biological communities they support respond to a far wider array of environmental signals. It is now generally accepted that it is important to retain (or restore) near-natural processes and features in rivers and lakes, such as physical habitat structure, adjacent riparian zones, and hydrological regimes. This paper examines the way that attitudes to freshwater assessment are changing, using illustrations such as the work on river habitats and their flow requirements carried out by the statutory nature conservation agencies in the UK.More...