Water Resources Engineering

Water is an essential ingredient for sustenance of life. The total quantity of water available on earth is estimated to be about 1400 million cubic kilometer, which is enough to cover the earth with a layer 3 km deep. However, 97.3% of this is saltwater in oceans, thereby leaving only 2.7% freshwater. Again, about 75% of the freshwater lies frozen in the Polar Regions and about 22.6% are groundwater- some of it very deep to be economically extractable. The surface freshwater is thus only about 0.007% of the total water occurring on earth. With increasing population, while the demand for water increases, anthropogenic pressures are rendering many water sources unfit for use because of the high level of pollution. Development and management of water resources is thus one of the important aspects of development at the present time. 

Water Resources Engineering is the science of designing, developing and managing projects and systems to protect and use water resources in a sustainable and efficient manner. This includes the design, construction and operation of water supply systems, flood control, water quality and water resources management. This engineering field is closely related to hydrology and the science of studying the properties of water and how it is distributed and used by humans. It can include the study of watersheds, rivers, lakes and coastal areas. 

Water Resources Engineering is a huge field which involves managing available water resources from the standpoint of both water quantity and water quality to meet the water needs of humanity and habitats at the local, regional, national or international level. It is the study and management of equipment, facilities and techniques that are used to manage and preserve life’s most plentiful resource - water. In addition to assessing how and the best ways to control water as it pertains to water-related activities – such as irrigation, waste disposal and canal development. Water resource engineers are also frequently involved in water management to ensure that it’s safe to drink both for humans, plants and animal usage. 

Managing water requires a sound understanding of water distribution systems such as rivers, canals, pipelines, culverts, ground water wells and water storage systems such as reservoirs, retention-detention ponds and aquifers. Water resources engineers must also have knowledge of various structures that are used to manage the conveyance of water such as sluice gates, emergency spillways and structures that are used to store water such as dams and dikes. In addition, water resources engineers must know techniques to assess future water demand as well as the quantity and quality of the available water resources in water bodies such as rivers, lakes and groundwater. Water resources engineers should also be familiar with the transport processes such as evaporation, transpiration, runoff and infiltration which are used by nature to move water globally.

History 

Water resources engineering has its roots in the ancient world, with evidence of its use in the Middle East, India and China since 3000 BC. Ancient civilizations used water engineering techniques to irrigate their agricultural land and store water for long-term use. In the middle ages, water engineering was used to build dams and canals for the purpose of flood control and agricultural irrigation. In the 16th and 17th centuries, water engineering began to be used for other purposes such as water supply and sewage systems, as well as providing a source of energy through the use of water wheels. In the 19th century, advances in engineering and technology have allowed engineers to design and build more complex water resource projects such as aqueducts and irrigation canals.

Water resources engineering has evolved over the past 9000 to 10,000 years as humans have developed the knowledge and techniques for building hydraulic structures to convey and store water. Early examples include irrigation networks built by the Egyptians and Mesopotamians and by the Hohokam in North America. The world’s oldest large dam was the Sadd-el-kafara dam built in Egypt between 2950 and 2690 B.C. The oldest known pressurized water distribution (approximately 2000 B.C.) was in the ancient city of Knossos on Crete. There are many examples of ancient water systems throughout the world.

The importance of water resources engineering includes the following: 

1. It is essential to managing our water resources, helps to ensure the availability of clean drinking water, efficient use of water for agricultural purposes and protect our water sources. 
2. It helps improve water quality to meet human and environmental needs. It can also help to reduce water pollution and to conserve water resources. 
3. It is also important for infrastructure development and management of water systems. This includes the construction of dams, reservoirs, canals, pipelines and other water-related infrastructure. 
4. It is essential for flood prevention and management, helps to identify possible areas of flooding, design and construction of dams and other flood control structures. 
5. It is important for agricultural production and also helps develop irrigation systems, drainage systems and erosion control systems that improve crop yields and reduce the risk of crop loss due to drought and other environmental factors. 
6. It is important for coastal zone management. They help to identify risk zones for coastal erosion and flooding and develop solutions to reduce these risks. 

Examples of water resources engineering projects include the following: 

• Construction of artificial reservoirs 
• Groundwater recharge 
• Drip irrigation systems 
• Desalination plants
• Flood Control Systems