Design of a groundwater-based Model Predictive Control algorithm for the operation of water table control systems: A proof of concept

Rapid discharge of excess water has always been the core of Dutch water management. Due to climate change, a change in strategy is required. A future-proof drainage strategy consists of three steps: 1) retention, 2) storage, and 3) controlled removal. This thesis comprises the design and evaluation of an algorithm for groundwater-based Model...

An assessment of groundwater resources in the Banke district of Nepal: Using groundwater balance approaches on case studies and seasonal groundwater table fluctuation estimates

Groundwater extraction has increased significantly in Nepal. In combination with climate change, this might lead to accelerated groundwater resource depletion. No recent research has been done in the assessment of these resources in the Banke district development area in the Terai. This study aims to assess whether the intensification of...

A framework for climate change adaptation strategies acknowledging transboundary governance complexity: A case study in the Geul basin

On the 13th and 14th of July 2021 a cold pit caused extreme precipitation along with record discharges in tributaries of the Meuse. These discharges caused floods in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.<br/><br/>Extreme precipitation occurrence and its intensity are expected to increase in the area due to climate change, increasing flood risk....

Forma Project: Mathematic optimization model of the water resources. Elqui basin, Chile

Water Quality Measurements in the Brantas, Indonesia: Constructing Different Perspectives with Principal Component Analysis

The water quality of the Brantas river in Indonesia is of concern to several agencies on East Java. These agencies all measure its water quality in their own way in terms of locations, rhythms and parameters. The goal of this thesis is to find out if these agencies measure the same and if not, how these measurements differ. From these...

Applying deep learning vs machine learning models to reproduce dry spells at point scale from satellite information in a data-scarce region: the case of northern Ghana

Large parts of the world rely on rainfed agriculture for their food security. In Africa, 90% of the agricultural yields rely only on precipitation for irrigation purposes and approximately 80% of the population’s livelihood is highly dependent on its food production. Parts of Ghana are prone to droughts and flood events due to increasing...

Benefits of using remotely sensed time series data in optimizing water management decisions

Big data sources can play an important role in revolutionizing the field of water resources research. Time series data with high temporal and spatial dimensions encapsulates with itself numerous factors essential for coming up with robust decisions. In this thesis, we assess one such big data source for efficient water management in the Oum Er...

Manyame Catchment: A Risk Assessment

This study investigates the many dynamics of the Manyame Catchment and comes up with recommendations on how to adapt or become more resilient to the risks at hand. The bad politics and forthcoming economic situation of Zimbabwe has led to instability and dramatic inflation over the last decade. This has resulted in a terrible investment climate,...

Monitoring land restoration projects of Justdiggit in Kenya, using downscaled passive microwave remote sensing products of VanderSat

The growing world population and climate change have resulted in increasing stress on the Earth’s ecosystems. Especially the overexploitation of agricultural land, overgrazing and extreme droughts have resulted in land degradation, often called desertification. This leads to the disappearing of natural vegetation, the loss of soil quality, lower...

Vegetation Optical Depth: its potential as an agricultural drought indicator: A case study on pepper fields in Indonesia

Droughts are a serious threat to the planet. Especially in agriculture, the consequences are devastating leading to reduced yields or crop failure with further implications for economics, politics and society. Being able to monitor and predict agricultural droughts is an important step to reduce agricultural vulnerability and secure livelihoods....