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Research Article
Performance Evaluation of Water Supply Construction Projects: A Case of Oromia Water and Energy Bureau
Getahun Nagari Nukuse*
,
Bahiru Bewket Mitikie
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
51-61
Received:
7 November 2025
Accepted:
9 March 2026
Published:
4 June 2026
Abstract: The purposes of Construction performance evaluation, which involves setting new operating targets and standards has been raised among the majority of water supply construction projects. The thesis was focused on the factors identifying, performance evaluation, and improvement strategy, which makes a water supply construction project focus on identifying improvement areas. The goal of the study is to pinpoint the key elements influencing project performance and provide methods for enhancement. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used in a mixed research strategy. 184 respondents, including clients, contractors, consultants, and community stakeholders engaged in 48 water supply construction projects carried out between 2019 and 2023, provided the data. Project characteristics, labor and material factors, contractual relationships, external environmental factors, client-related issues, contractor and consultant performance, safety and health conditions, leadership, and project procedures were among the categories of factors influencing project performance that were examined in this study. The data was analyzed using regression analysis and descriptive statistics with SPSS software. The findings showed that all of the projects under consideration had some level of cost escalation and delay, and the majority of water supply construction projects had considerable time and cost overruns. Contractor capability, consultant efficacy, project procedures, leadership, labor and material availability, client commitment, and external environmental circumstances are important variables that impact performance. The results demonstrate that while project procedures, quality flaws, and client satisfaction exhibit moderate significance, contractor and consultant-related factors, along with time and cost management, have very significant effects on project performance. The study concludes that modern construction management techniques like lean management, PDCA cycles, and Kaizen principles, as well as strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems and improving stakeholder coordination, can greatly improve project performance. In order to enhance the effectiveness, sustainability, and quality of water supply construction projects in the Oromia region, the study offers contractors, consultants, and project owners useful suggestions.
Abstract: The purposes of Construction performance evaluation, which involves setting new operating targets and standards has been raised among the majority of water supply construction projects. The thesis was focused on the factors identifying, performance evaluation, and improvement strategy, which makes a water supply construction project focus on identi...
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Research Article
A Hybrid STL - GEV and RNNs Models Approach for Monthly Extreme Discharge Forecasting in the Mono Basin
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
62-75
Received:
24 May 2026
Accepted:
2 June 2026
Published:
23 June 2026
Abstract: Forecasting monthly extreme flows is a major challenge in hydrology due to their rarity and high intensity, particularly in tropical basins vulnerable to climate change. This study proposes an innovative hybrid approach combining STL decomposition, generalized extreme value (GEV) theory, and LSTM and GRU architectures to predict river flow: the case of the Mono River in Togo. The methodology is based on isolating the residual component, modeled by a GEV distribution, whose values are converted into probabilities using a cumulative distribution function. A unique feature of this approach is the incorporation of multivariate meteorological data. Unlike conventional approaches, the results show that the hybrid model particularly in its univariate sequential configuration reproduces extreme dynamics with a high degree of accuracy. The evaluation was conducted at various stations in Togo using the "Peak Over Threshold" approach, applied at the 75th percentile. At the Dotaicopé station, the model performed robustly, achieving an accuracy of 0.82, a recall of 0.74, an F1 score of 0.78, and a Kling-Gupta efficiency coefficient of 0.75. At the Tététou station, the multivariate model achieved an exceptional recall of 0.9, confirming its superior ability to detect critical thresholds in areas with high hydrological variability; the univariate model, on the other hand, performed less well in this regard, thereby demonstrating the significant contribution of climatic parameters. However, the study highlights a limitation related to data asymmetry, as climate forcings are only available starting in 1981, whereas discharge records date back to 1952. These results validate the potential of both univariate and multivariate probabilistic hybrid models for better characterization of hydrological regimes and early flood risk prevention.
Abstract: Forecasting monthly extreme flows is a major challenge in hydrology due to their rarity and high intensity, particularly in tropical basins vulnerable to climate change. This study proposes an innovative hybrid approach combining STL decomposition, generalized extreme value (GEV) theory, and LSTM and GRU architectures to predict river flow: the cas...
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Research Article
Geographic Information System and Sensor Networks Framework in Transformation of Water-scarce Communities into Water Secure Communities: Case of Masvingo City
Israel Magodi*,
Khulekani Sibanda
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
76-87
Received:
30 December 2025
Accepted:
9 January 2026
Published:
29 June 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.wros.20261503.13
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Abstract: Like most of the developing countries, Zimbabwe continues to face critical piped water shortages. In this paper, the authors present a GIS framework for mapping, monitoring and real-time leakage detection in water distribution networks to transform a water scarce community into a water secure community. It was conducted under guidance of the following objectives of developing a geographic information system framework that can be used to reduce the treated water losses along the water distribution channel by Masvingo City and evaluating the usefulness of geographic information system and water pressure sensors in reducing real/physical water losses and improving water supply within the City of Masvingo. The study sought to ascertain the relationship between water losses and factors such as Leak run time and Leak awareness time against the presence or absence of a real time leak detection mechanism. It employed design science, descriptive survey research methodology with both quantitative and qualitative research designs culminating into the formulation of a GIS framework for water network monitoring and real-time leak detection. The study targeted a population inclusive of the workers and registered water consumers of City of Masvingo water supply scheme. Pearson correlation was used to measure the degree of association between variables under consideration i.e., independent variables and the dependent variables. Total leak run time (Hours) and Water loss (Mm3) had a positive correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient = .941). Leak age before reporting and Water loss (Mm3) had a strong correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient = .942). The regression equation y = 0.331x + 0.189 was obtained which showed that a unit increase in a water leak run time will lead to a 0.331 i.e., 33% increase in the water loss added to a constant loss of 0.189 i.e., 19%. From the study’s findings a GIS framework applied reduced Average Leak awareness time by 100% through real time leak detection however it did not reduce Average Leak repair time. The results showed that the framework reduced Total Water Loss by 30% in the water supply network. Based on the study findings it is suggested that; City of Masvingo should make use of GIS and sensors to monitor the water supply chain and detect leakages in real-time. The study recommended that a similar study be carried out in other local authorities to establish and appreciate the role of ICT specifically QGIS and sensors in water resources management.
Abstract: Like most of the developing countries, Zimbabwe continues to face critical piped water shortages. In this paper, the authors present a GIS framework for mapping, monitoring and real-time leakage detection in water distribution networks to transform a water scarce community into a water secure community. It was conducted under guidance of the follow...
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Research Article
Assessment of Watershed Degradation and the Imperative for Integrated Management Approaches
Makau Kelvin Muthini*
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
88-105
Received:
25 January 2026
Accepted:
14 February 2026
Published:
30 June 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.wros.20261503.14
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Abstract: Freshwater scarcity persists as a critical and escalating challenge for millions of individuals across the globe, with pronounced severity in arid and semi-arid climatic regions. Watersheds function as indispensable natural infrastructure, delivering a suite of vital goods and services—including but not limited to the provision of clean water, the conservation of biodiversity, the mitigation of soil erosion, and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. However, the economic valuation of these ecosystem services remains conspicuously absent from conventional market systems, leading to their systematic undervaluation and mismanagement. Although numerous nations have enacted legislative frameworks intended to regulate the access and utilization of watershed resources, the implementation of these statutes is frequently hampered by institutional inefficiencies, fragmented governance, and a lack of enforceable compliance mechanisms. This manuscript undertakes a comprehensive reconnoitering of sustainable watershed management paradigms through a systematic review and synthesis of extant secondary literature. A meta-analytical synthesis of 47 watershed programs across 23 countries reveals that while biophysical interventions achieve measurable success (e.g., 18–34% reduction in sediment yield), socio-institutional outcomes—particularly equity, participation durability, and benefit-sharing—remain critically weak (average efficacy score: 2.1/5). It posits that a participatory, integrated approach—one that deliberately incorporates and balances the physical, vegetative, and anthropogenic components intrinsic to watershed systems—is not merely beneficial but essential for long-term resilience. A central thesis advanced herein is that the fundamental socio-political quandary of watershed management lies in its recurrent failure to distribute associated benefits and costs equitably. This inequity often engenders latent or overt conflict between upstream and downstream communities, undermining collective action and sustainability goals. Consequently, efficacious watershed management must be conceived and executed in a manner that concurrently addresses biophysical degradation processes while satisfying the criteria of social acceptability, political viability, and economic feasibility. The culminating argument underscores the necessity of internalizing watershed externalities—both costs and benefits—through innovative governance and economic instruments. The objective is to forge a cooperative scenario wherein all stakeholders, from local communities to national agencies, perceive a tangible and justifiable stake in the sustainable stewardship of these critical hydrological units.
Abstract: Freshwater scarcity persists as a critical and escalating challenge for millions of individuals across the globe, with pronounced severity in arid and semi-arid climatic regions. Watersheds function as indispensable natural infrastructure, delivering a suite of vital goods and services—including but not limited to the provision of clean water, the ...
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Research Article
Spatial Interpolation of Hydrographic Vertical References in the Gulf of Guinea: Hierarchical Ranking of Geostatistical and Deterministic Methods by LOO Cross-validation
Michel Mfeze*
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
106-142
Received:
4 June 2026
Accepted:
16 June 2026
Published:
30 June 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.wros.20261503.15
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Abstract: The accurate determination of the offset between Mean Sea Level (MSL) and Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) is very important for marine and coastal navigation, mapping, and engineering (reduction of bathymetric soundings to LAT, under-keel clearance, and nearshore/offshore infrastructure levelling). The MSL value is obtained from either a local geoid model or from temporary in-situ tide gauge data processed using specialised filters. For many ungauged ports along the Gulf of Guinea, sources like Admiralty Tide Tables (ATT) provide insufficient spatial coverage, necessitating spatial interpolation from regional reference gauges. The low density, heterogeneity, and discontinuity of tide gauge observations impose the use of rigorously evaluated spatial interpolation methods. This study proposes an integrated methodological framework comparing six interpolation techniques: Nearest Neighbour (NN), Inverse-Distance Weighting (IDW), Triangulation (TIN), Spline, Trend Surface, and Kriging. The comparison is based on a regional database of 115 reference ports (106 from the ATT, and nine complementary stations from GLOSS, PSMSL, and UHSLC/JASL networks) spanning 20 West African coastal countries. Three representative Cameroonian test sites are selected: the Rio del Rey Shelf (Betika), the Wouri Estuary (Dibamba-Yassa), and the isolated southern coast (Batanga). The approach combines a unified software implementation, exhaustive comparison and leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation (MAE, RMSE, bias, R2), convergence analysis and quadratic decomposition of uncertainty components. Results indicate that the optimal interpolation method varies with local reference station density and spatial configuration. At Betika (18 reference stations, 9 retained), IDW yields the best cross validation performance (RMSE ≈ 0.2295 m, R2 ≈ 0.1376) with Kriging close behind. At Dibamba-Yassa (06 stations, 4 retained), Trend Surface performs best (RMSE ≈ 0.1225 m, R2 ≈ 0.2833), followed by Kriging (RMSE=0.1439 m). At Batanga (2 stations only), method comparison fails, illustrating problem degeneration under extreme undersampling. In all cases, interpolation variance σᵢ² accounts for more than 95% of the total error budget, with 95% confidence intervals reaching ±3.6 m to ±4.9 m. The convergence analysis shows that a minimum of 5-7 stations is required to stabilise estimates. The main finding is that network densification is the primary lever for improvement, well ahead of algorithmic optimisation. The study provides validated point estimates for the three sites and a transparent protocol for tidal datum estimation in data sparse coastal regions of the Gulf of Guinea.
Abstract: The accurate determination of the offset between Mean Sea Level (MSL) and Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) is very important for marine and coastal navigation, mapping, and engineering (reduction of bathymetric soundings to LAT, under-keel clearance, and nearshore/offshore infrastructure levelling). The MSL value is obtained from either a local geoid...
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