Scenario Analysis to Improve Ammonia Concentrations Along the Rosetta Branch in the Nile Delta, Egypt PDF

Keywords

Ammonia, Nile Delta, scenario analysis, water quality modeling.

Abstract

A physico-chemical water quality model has been developed for the Rosetta Branch in the Nile Delta, making use of the MIKE11 river modeling software of DHI Water & Environment (DHI, 2002). The physico-chemical water quality (WQ) module of MIKE11 was linked with a detailed full hydrodynamic (HD) model developed for the same Rosetta Branch, and also implemented in the MIKE11 modeling system. The WQ model aims to describe and predict concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nitrogen in the form of ammonia (NH4-N) and nitrate (NO3-N), taking into consideration advection, dispersion and the most important biological, chemical and physical processes. All significant pollution sources along the Rosetta Branch were considered. The paper discusses scenario analyses carried out with the model. Scenarios of ammonia concentration reduction along the drains by 30%, 50% and 70% have been simulated, according to suggested treatment scenarios. Also the effect of an increase in the upstream inflow discharges at Delta Barrage during low flow conditions, have been analyzed. Based on these analyses, most efficient measures were suggested to improve the current status of the branch water quality.