Feasibility Analysis of MERIS as a Tool for Monitoring Lake Guiers (Senegal) Water Quality

ENVISAT/MERIS scenes of Lake Guiers covering the period 2003-2010 were processed for concentration retrieval of chlorophyll a (CHLa), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and colored fraction of dissolved organic matter (CDOM), i.e. the three main parameters relevant to the water quality management of the lake. Estimates in the range of 30 - 117 μg CHLa L-1 (average 62.13 μg·L-1), 0.10 - 29.0 mg SPM L-1 (average 22.01 mg·L-1), and 1.10 - 1.90 CDOM m-1 (average 1.33 m-1) were recorded, suggesting the possibility of occasional poor quality waters in some compartments of the lake. The values calculated as part of this study are consistent with literature data. On the basis of these estimates, interpretations were made as to the feasibility of applying MERIS data for synoptic environmental monitoring purposes. The data were subjected to statistical analysis, including regression analysis and significance tests. Estimates of CHLa and CDOM revealed some level of correlation, which suggests that phytoplankton biomass degradation may account for nearly 47% of the dissolved optical compounds CDOM. Notable areas of high CHLa and CDOM concentrations are found in the southern inshore zone, an environment with less water agitation. In contrast, SPM concentrations tend to increase in environments of very shallow water marked by high water turbulence and bottom mobility. However, it was not possible to fully assess the model performance and detection accuracy of the results due to lack of ground truths. Nonetheless, the results show concentrations that compared well with the insitu data from earlier studies and data reported elsewhere from other lacustrine systems. Therefore, it can be inferred from this study that MERIS data present a useful low-cost (i.e. cost effective and readily available) approach for environmental monitoring of Lake Guiers waters with excellent spatial coverage. In addition, the study highlighted the minimal effect of the so-called “bottom effect” on model predictions, despite the small depth of the lake.

Hydrogeochemical Assessment of Metals Contamination in an Urban Drainage System: A Case Study of Osogbo Township, SW-Nigeria

With increasing urban population, attention had been focused on environmental degradation of urban drain-age system with respect to trace/heavy metal contaminations. Such concerns underlie the ever-increasing impacts of urbanization and industrial activities on urban watershed in the developing regions of the world, especially in areas with inadequate land-use plan and poor waste disposal and management practices. Hence, this study highlights the hydrogeochemical assessment of surface water and bottom-sediment samples from an urban drainage system in Osogbo Township, SW-Nigeria with respect to trace metals contaminations. The results show that the surface water samples have generally low TDS with average value of 362mg/l, while the average dissolved concentrations of the trace metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, As and Cr) vary from 0.01 to 0.5mg/l. Cu, Cr and As exhibit concentrations similar to the local background concentrations (LBC) in the pristine stream water with low single metal contamination factor (CF ≈ 1). Pb, Zn and Ni are 5 folds enriched with contamination factor (CF) of >5 indicating moderate to high contamination. For the sediment phase, the adsorbed concentrations of the trace metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, As, Cr and Co) vary between 0.1 to 3.1mg/kg. These represent about 1 to 3% of the respective total metal concentrations with average values of 18.2– 533.4mg/kg. Also low anthropogenic factor, AF (0.002 to 0.08) and mostly negative values (–5 to –15) of Mueller’s geo-accumulation index (Igeo) for adsorbed metal contents in the sediments suggest dominant geo-genic controls. However, the total metals concentrations in the sediment phase have high estimated AF of 1.1 to 9.3 and positive values of the estimated Igeo (0.9–2.0) and metal contamination index (MCI) of 2.5–8.3. All these suggest a medium to high level enrichment (of 2 to 10 factor) for most of the metals with respect to the local background concentration (LBC) in the basement bedrock units (with the exception of Cr and Ni). This is consistent with the preferential metal enrichment in the sediment phase as indicated by the estimated parti-tioning/distribution coefficient, Kd of >1 exhibited by the total metal concentrations in the stream sediment. Nonetheless, the correlated high peaks of electrical conductivity of the stream water samples and adsorbed concentrations of some trace metals within the urban stretches are indications of point source inputs of un-treated sewage into the drainage system.

Chemical Evolution of Groundwater in the Dindefello Plain Area in South-Eastern Senegal

This study was to clarify the main mechanisms of shallow groundwater mineralization in the Dindefello Plain Area. Water composition data obtained in this study were subjected to aqueous speciation calculations together with data plotting on key diagrams so as to create work assumptions. Hypothesized reaction models of the processes of chemical weathering of carbonates and silicate minerals under the carbon dioxide regime were proposed and tested by selecting two water sample analyses interpreted as “starting” and “ending” water composition along a hydrologic flow line, and then running the PHREEQC (version 2) batch modeling procedure, to simulate chemical balances and compositional variations of groundwater within the geochemical system. For the flow path data discussed here, there was close agreement between the model results and the observed hydrochemistry, and so the proposed geochemical evolution model was deemed reliable.

Diagnosis Study of the Louga-Ouarack-Ndoyene R31 Regional Road (Senegal)

The degree of structural damage of the Louga-Ouarack-Ndoyene R31 regional road was surveyed using Lacroix deflectographe and geotechnical testing, in order to recommend possible rehabilitation measures aimed at maintaining the high level of service over the projected life span of the road. The data processing and interpretation were essentially based on the French standards and specifications, through which synthetic variables were generated with a qualitative significance?and on the basis of which the extent of repairs and rehabilitation works to be undertaken were suggested. The decision grid thus produced, revealed road structure quality indices of mostly Q3, Q4, and Q5 types for a segment length of 36.954 km (equivalent to some 69.44% of the total road section), which justifies some major reinforcement works. The remaining part of the road section (nearly?30.56% with road quality indices ≤ Q2) is still in acceptable condition, requiring only some?minor maintenance works. The rehabilitation costs were estimated to be of the order of?5,352,000,000 (five billion three hundred fifty-two million) CFA francs, based on local market price conditions.