Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan October 15-16, 2001 Keynote

Lecture

Trends and Current De velopments in Hydraulic Engineering

A. Jacob Odgaard Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Abstract The information revolution has led to profound changes in hydraulic engineering. Many of these changes are enabled through developments in hydroinformatics. This paper summarizes key elements of hydroinformatics, and it provides examples of projects that have benefited from the new developments. Future hydraulic engineering challenges include the d evelopment of more effective means of engaging users and stakeholders and society in general. Keywords: Hydroinformatics, hydraulic engineering, modeling, restoration, social issues, ecology, ecosystem, environmental management, environmental modeling, sociotechnology, genetic algorithms.

Introduction
Over the past two to three decades, hydraulic engineering has evolved from a discipline focused primarily on design and construction of large structures such as dams, waterways, and conduits to one that includes conservation and preservation. More and more, hydraulic engineers must work in partnerships with ecologists, economists, sociologists, and other non-engineering professionals. Today, most hydraulic engineering projects are interdisciplinary and require integration of different skill sets. The challenge is to prepare for such integration. This change in focus goes hand in hand with changes in the way society defines economic development. Today, economic development must be sustainable. It must preserve the environment and consider social and cultural traditions and constraints. Hydraulic engineering must do the same. Unfortunately, while efforts to define and promote sustainability are being made by many international, national, and local agencies, specific tools to measure and model sustainability, and to help plan and design for it, are insufficient. A recent report, by the U.S. National Research Council (2000, page 4), states that a key scientific challenge for enabling sustainable economic and environmental development is ensuring that Integrated multidisciplinary modeling and information systems on global, national, and regional levels are developed and sustained. These systems, which depend on strong disciplinary knowledge bases, should be designed in close cooperation with those whose decision-making they are designed to support in both the public and private sectors. This statement defines the charge for todays hydraulic engineer.

The hydraulic engineering community has responded to this charge in various ways. One is seen in the developments occurring in hydroinformatics. This paper will attempt to briefly summarize key elements of hydroinformatics, elements applicable to water resources management, and provide examples of projects that have benefited from the new developments.

Hydroinformatics
Hydroinformatics is broadly defined as the application of modern information technologies to the solution of problems associated with the aquatic environment. This definition includes mer ging of traditional fields of computational hydraulics with newer developments in mathematics, computer science, and communications technology. It includes the integration of information obtained from diverse sources, from field data to data from hydraulic and numerical models to data from nonengineering fields like ecology, economy and social science. Figures 1, 2, and 3 give a simplified perspective of the development of a typical hydroinformatics system. For the sake of illustration, the charts refer to the development of a storm water management plan.

Data Base

Knowledge Base

Simulation Model(s) Management Plan Figure 1: Traditional Approach to the Development of Management Plan

Data Base GIS

Knowledge Base

Simulation Model(s) Management Plan

Figure 2: Traditional Approach with GIS

Data Bases

Knowledge Base Expert System

Pre-processors GIS Simulation Models Post-processors Interactive User / Stakeholder Interface

Figure 3: Emerging Approach to the Development of Management Plan

Figure 1 illustrates the traditional approach, in which the end product, the storm water management plan, is developed from information flowing from a database and a knowledge base to simulation models and through to the final plan. The development starts with information gathering for the database. Typically, the data include (1) topographical data, such as surface elevations, contours, slopes, soil types, geological characteristics, and data from satellite photos; (2) land use data, including population and traffic density, traffic corridors, and information on land zoning and types and location of industries; (3) drainage network data (rivers and channels, channel characteristics, pipes, conduits, etc.); and (4) hydrological data such as data from rain gages, stream gauging stations, radar images, etc. Modeling experts then (1) select from the knowledge base appropriate tools, formulas, equations, models, or modeling systems; (2) build a simulation model, i.e., develop appropriate computational grids, process the data from the database, and calibrate and validate the tools or models selected from the knowledge base; (3) run the models for given input and boundary conditions; and (4) assess and interpret the output. The modeling expert incorporates environmental, financial, legal, and social constraints, and then presents the final plan to the end user. One of the tools in the knowledge base is the GIS, a framework for data acquisition and storage. About 15 years ago, GIS began to play such an essential role in the data acquisition that it became a more or less self-contained entity. The GIS became an essential link between the raw data and the watershed model, and eventually it became part of the watershed model. Figure 2 illustrates this development. Figure 3 illustrates a more advanced, yet still simplified, hydroinformatics system. The added elements are the pre-processor, the post-processor, the expert system, and the user/stakeholder interface. In this system, the pre-processor does the processing of data, the selection of models, modeling system and IT tools, the grid generation, and the calibration and verification of the models (or the training of the neural network or other computational intelligence tool). A post-processor does the assessment of results, including the incorporation of constraints. The processes are controlled by an expert system developed by experts in close collaboration with end users. The role previously undertaken by the experienced

modeler or expert is being removed form the system. And, most importantly, the end users or stakeholders are becoming part of the system. The system enables the public, the contractors, the lawyers, and the politicians to become engaged in the design and implementation of a given project.

Elements of Hydroinformatics
Hydroinformatics includes the development and application of new IT tools to facilitate integration of information obtained from diverse sources, for example, integration of different numerical models or integration of field data, numerically simulated data and data from non-engineering fields. This task has been underway for several years. An early example is MIKE SHE developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute in the early nineties. MIKE SHE integrates models for surface water and ground water movement, advection and dispersion processes, geochemistry, biology, crop growth, soil erosion, irrigation, etc. Its GIS includes both pre- and post-processing components as well as a menu driven user interface. Now, MIKE SHE is just one of a series of DHI modeling systems, which can be coupled as needed. There are now many similar examples around, some of which have been written up in the literature, most recently in Journal of Hydroinformatics. The advantage of such integration is of course that it helps provide a comprehensive view and understanding of a given project or phenomenon, and it facilitates decision-making. Making integration possible often requires adopting or developing new enabling technologies. These technologies would be included in the hydroinformatics system knowledge base. Examples are (1) computational intelligence techniques such as artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, and genetic programming, and (2) a host of enabling tools, environments and internet-development techniques such as Active X, Java, CGI, etc. The computational intelligence techniques are techniques that also facilitate the evaluation of raw data (data mining), forecasting of time series, recognition of patterns or trends, and optimization of processes and decision. These techniques are particularly useful for management of large amounts of data and variables. In fact, the database itself has become a subject of intense study. Recognizing that many phenomena in nature are too complex to be described in terms of known physical or biological laws, efforts are underway to develop data mining technologies for extracting knowledge directly from databases. The effort is often referred to as Knowledge Discovery in Databases or KDD (Abbott et al. 2001). And the computational intelligence techniques have proved to be useful in this effort. Probably the most important task of hydroinformtics is the engagement of the end users or stakeholders. In Figure 3, this engagement is indicated by the user/stakeholder interface. This interface can be via the Internet or some other yet-to-be-developed internet-based technology. Although much progress has been made to develop such an interface, it is still at the experimental stage when it comes to hydraulics and water resources. In order for the stakeholders (and the general public) to assess the impact of various projects or scenarios on their environment or quality of life, interactive tools need to be developed that will enable them to effectively relate and communicate their interests and concerns. And techniques will have to be developed to effectively incorporate their concerns into the system.

Examples of Hydroinformatics Systems

Hydroinformatics systems have been used successfully in several hydraulics and water resources projects. Three examples are presented in the following.

Bridge and Tunnel Project

The bridge and tunnel project between Denmark and Sweden is an example of a project that likely would not have been implemented without the development of a hydroinformatics system to support the management and construction of the project (Thorkilsen and Dynesen 2001). The project is located in the Sound between Denmark and Sweden at the entrance to the Baltic Sea. The area is an environmentally sensitive area. Not only could the project have a detrimental effect on the marine biology in the Sound but it could also cause changes in salinity and oxygen l vels throughout the entire Baltic Sea, which e could have widespread environmental consequences. The project was approved subject to a number of constraints, including restrictions on dredging, sediment spillage, and impact on biomass. Another requirement was that a real-time monitoring program be developed to ensure that all environmental objectives and related design criteria were met both during and after the construction. The hydroinformatics system, called EAGLE, included the two -dimensional, one-layer, free-surface-flow modeling system MIKE 21. This system includes a hydrodynamic model, sediment transport and sediment spreading models, and water quality (ecology) models. It was used to simulate most of the environmental consequences of the construction activities. The system worked in real time during the construction with real-time forecasting, real time updates of forecasts, real time monitoring, and real time adjustments to the construction process if it looked like environmental constraints cou ld not be met. A permanent monitoring network was in place during the construction with on-line data transmission facilities. The network included offshore monitoring stations, satellite images and coastal morphology photographs. The real-time update of forecast for the currents in the Sound also reduced the risk of construction disasters, for example the risk of loosing a tunnel segment during floatation. Probably the most important component of EAGLE was the user/stakeholder interface. This interfa ce is believed to have been the key to the success of the project because it ensured the active participation of stakeholders in all environmentally sensitive decision-making processes. Stakeholders included a number of interest organizations in Denmark and Sweden and other countries around the Baltic, the press, the Parliament, the shareholders, the general public, consultants, contractors, and various local and government authorities. The interface was Internet based and it provided continuous updates of significant events and processes in both textural and graphical form. The feedback occurred through the expert system. The stakeholders could follow in real-time corrective measures taken as a result of the feedback procedure. The project opened on 1 July 2000 within budget and six months ahead of schedule, and, thanks to EAGLE, all environmental concerns and constraints were met.

Ecosystem Restoration Project

A number of major water resource ecosystem restoration projects are currently underway in the U.S. One is focused on the Everglades, a unique ecosystem in southern Florida (Loucks 2000). At an estimated cost of $8 billion over a period of about 50 years, this project is aimed at understanding the physical and biological processes that affect the areas hydrology and ecology and developing a hydroinformatics system that can be used to plan and manage the project. The challenge is to build a system that can be used to estimate various impacts that may result from any plan or management policy. As expected, there are conflicts among various stakeholders, and it is important that the system allow for input from and communication with them all. The modeling system includes hydraulic models for determining water surface profiles, and hydrodyn amic models for studies of the circulation characteristics in bays and estuaries and the effects of changes in freshwater flows from coastal canals and groundwater sources. Hydrologic models simulate

the groundwater/canal interaction. Models are under de velopment that will simulate groundwater/surface-water interaction. Regional hydrologic models are used to evaluate water management changes and major structural modifications of the projects and to develop operational guidelines and determine the optimal allocation of water resources over time and space. The models range from regional to local scales and they include groundwater, surface-water quality and ecosystem variables and indicators. The challenge is to integrate these models in a way that achieves a comprehensive understanding and shared vision among all stakeholders of what alternatives are best based on their economic and social costs and their ecosystem and political impacts. The hydroinformatics system must ensure that all stakeholders are involved in all stages of the project development. Not only should it give the stakeholders a clear picture of various outcomes scenarios, it must also allow them to communicate among one another and to reach a consensus. For a more detailed description of the challenges, readers are referred to Loucks (2000).

Hydraulic Structures Project

Studies are underway at IIHR -Hydroscience and Engineering to explore the utility of the computational intelligence techniques in hydraulic structures projects. One project is focused on the optimization of the shape of submerged vane structures for sediment management using genetic algorithms. Submerged vanes have been shown to be effective in protecting stream banks against erosion, in maintaining navigation depth and flood-flow conveyance capacity in rivers, and in controlling sediment at diversions and water intakes (Odgaard and Wang 1991, Wang et al. 1996). However, little effort has been made in the past to optimize the design of the individual vanes. In fact, it has been shown that the most common vane design, the flat plate, is inefficient and that significant improvements can be obtained by employing an airfoil shape instead. The improvement translates into cost savings because fewer and smaller vanes are required to accomplish a given task. The efforts underway consist of employing a numerical optimization procedure based on a genetic algorithm. Preliminary results are published in Ouyang et al. (2000). A genetic algorithm was selected because conventional optimization methods, notably the gradient-based methods, failed or turned unreliable. One of the limitations of the gradient-based methods is that they achieve a local optimum only, and finding a global optimum depends strongly on the choice of initial search points. The advantage of the genetic algorithms is that they do not use local gradient information for the search direction, so they can operate on irregular and non-differentiable functions. Moreover, genetic algorithms search for a population rather than for a single parameter set; consequently, they are better able to locate the global optimum. Although the optimization studies are continuing, the preliminary results are promising.

Conclusions
As the aforementioned examples suggest, hydraulic engineering is advancing on several fronts. The new developments in mathematics and computer science make it possible for hydraulic engineers to not only refine current practices in design and construction, as exemplified in the submerged vane optimization project, but also venture into a socio-technical dimension. The latter is necessary for successful completion of many projects dealing with the natural environment. One of the major challenges for the future is to develop effective means to enable active participation of stakeholders, in particular in environmentally sensitive decision-making processes. As indicated by Abbott et al. (2001), this will require increasing emphasis and reliance on advances in communications technologies.

References
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