Department of Water Resources Engineering

Permanent URI for this collection

https://bdears.busitema.ac.ug/handle/123456789/867

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 44

Modeling sediment load accumulation from river discharge case study; River Semliki.
(Busitema University, 2026) Twichirize, Florence
The increasing sediment load and notable shoreline expansion in Butiaba, present significant environmental and socio-economic challenges, including water quality degradation, poor sanitation, loss of lives and property and loss of aquatic habitant. This study investigated site-based sediment yield, transport, and deposition dynamics at Butiaba along the eastern shoreline of Lake Albert, with a specific focus of on sediment discharge from River Semliki and its role in shoreline expansion. The research integrated hydrological, hydraulic, and geospatial modelling techniques to quantify sediment generation within the catchment, simulate its downstream transport, and evaluate its deposition patterns at the lake interface. Bathymetric integration enhanced the reliability of deposition modelling by capturing the influence of lakebed gradients on sediment settling zones. Areas with gentle bathymetric slopes exhibited higher accumulation rates, confirming the role of submerged topography in controlling sediment distribution. This linkage between bathymetry and sediment dynamics provides a more comprehensive understanding of shoreline evolution processes at Butiaba. Using hydrological and sediment data, the research integrated field-based measurements of suspended-sediment concentration, and bathymetric elevation with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and HEC RAS model to simulate runoff and sediment transport. The analysis established the link between river discharge fluctuations and sediment accumulation rates, providing insights into how these dynamics alter lake morphometry. Hydrological and sediment yield modeling was undertaken for River Semliki watershed to quantify sediment generation and transport processes, while detailed sediment assessment was confined to the Butiaba shoreline in Buliisa district. This study demonstrates that sediment accumulation at Butiaba is not uniform but episodic, largely driven by peak discharge events originating from upstream catchment processes. High sediment yield periods correspond to increased deposition at the lake interface, resulting in incremental shoreline expansion. The combined modeling framework of SWAT and HEC-RAS successfully captured the continuum from catchment-scale erosion to localized deposition influenced by bathymetric conditions, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches in sediment studies. Overall, the research provides a robust methodological framework for assessing sediment-driven shoreline changes in data-limited environments. The findings have practical implications for infrastructure planning, navigation management, and environmental conservation at Butiaba and similar river-lake systems. By explicitly linking sediment yield modelling with bathymetric- controlled deposition processes, the study contributes to improved predictive capability and informed decision making in sediment management and coastal engineering contexts.
Optimization of alum recovery from water treatment sludge in Manafwa water treatment plant in Busoba sub county, Mbale district.
(Busitema University, 2026-06-19) Kwagala, Jane
The generation of alum sludge from water treatment plants poses significant economic and environmental challenges, particularly in developing countries where disposal is largely unregulated and resource recovery is rarely practiced. This study aimed to optimize the recovery of alum from water treatment sludge at Manafwa Water Treatment Plant in eastern Uganda using acid leaching with sulphuric acid, evaluate the coagulant performance of the recovered alum against commercial alum, and assess the financial viability of implementing alum recovery at the plant. Alum sludge was characterized for physical and chemical properties, and recovery optimization was performed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design, varying acid concentration (0.5–2.5 M H₂SO₄) and pH (2–6), while temperature and contact time were held constant at 90°C and 60 minutes, respectively. Aluminium concentration was determined via Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and coagulation performance was evaluated through jar tests. The sludge exhibited high moisture content (95.8–97.6%), total suspended solids (71,300–106,470 mg/L), near-neutral pH (6.5–6.7), and total aluminium content of 6.8–8.5% by dry mass. RSM optimization identified optimal conditions of 2.17 M H₂SO₄ and pH 3.01, yielding a predicted recovery efficiency of 94.1% with a desirability score of 0.955. The recovered alum was off-white, had a pH of 3.2, and contained 9.4% aluminium by mass. Jar tests using dosages of 30–80 mg/L showed that recovered alum achieved turbidity removal efficiencies of 55–94%, compared to 63 99.6% for commercial alum at equivalent dosages, representing a performance gap of approximately 5%. Financial analysis revealed a Net Present Value of UGX 292,038,935 over 10 years at a 12% discount rate, a Profitability Index of 4.65, and a payback period of approximately 1 year and 3 months, confirming strong economic viability. In conclusion alum recovery from water treatment sludge is both technically feasible and financially attractive, with acid concentration and pH as the dominant control parameters. Further purification and pilot-scale validation are recommended.
Geotechnical and Hydraulic Stability Assessment of Retaining Wall Failures at Doho Irrigation Scheme Intake for Design Improvement
(Busitema University, 2026) Musiimegye, Ivan
The Doho Irrigation Scheme intake, a key structure supporting rice production in Eastern Uganda, has experienced retaining wall failures that threaten its operational reliability. This study assessed the geotechnical and hydraulic conditions at the intake to identify the governing failure mechanisms and develop practical design solutions. The methodology combined field soil sampling with laboratory tests, including shear strength and grain size analysis, and hydraulic evaluation of hydrostatic pressure, water currents, and scour effects. Stability analyses using Rankine and Coulomb earth pressure theories, supported by numerical modeling, showed that inadequate backfill drainage increased hydrostatic pressure, while toe scour reduced foundation support, resulting in factors of safety below the recommended 1.5. The study recommends installation of improved drainage provisions and enlargement of the wall base to enhance stability. These measures provide a practical basis for rehabilitating the intake and improving long-term reliability of water delivery within the scheme.
Application of data driven modelling in prediction of future climate change on the solar powered water pumping production.
(Busitema University, 2026) Mukasa, Robert
This study investigated the impact of climate change on the performance of photovoltaic (PV) solar powered water pumping systems (SPWPS) and future prediction of their performance, with the aim of: (i) identifying the key meteorological and technological parameters governing water yield; (ii) developing a validated predictive model linking meteorological variables to daily water yield; and (iii) simulating future water yield under Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate projections. Historical meteorological data including solar irradiance, ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, rainfall, and dust deposition index were analyzed alongside ten years of system performance data (2014–2023) using descriptive statistics, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation analysis to identify dominant influencing variables. Three data driven predictive models were developed and evaluated: Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and a Hybrid GRU-LSTM Recurrent Neural Network. The Hybrid GRU-LSTM model achieved the highest predictive accuracy (R² = 0.95, NSE = 0.94, RMSE = 0.31 m³/day), significantly outperforming MLR (R² = 0.71, NSE = 0.68) and the ANN (R² = 0.83, NSE = 0.81). PCA revealed that solar irradiance and ambient temperature together account for approximately 67% of total system performance variance. Sensitivity analysis confirmed solar irradiance (34.1%) and ambient temperature (21.3%) as the most influential model inputs. Future climate scenario simulations using IPCC SSP2-4.5 (moderate emissions) and SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) projections indicated projected declines in mean daily water yield of 6.7% and 13.6% respectively by 2050–2060, with reductions reaching 9.1% (SSP2-4.5) and 21.4% (SSP5-8.5) by 2070–2080. The largest losses are projected during the hot dry season (June–August), precisely when domestic water demand is highest, presenting a critical water security risk. The study recommends incorporating a 10–20% climate adjustment factor in future SPWPS design standards and establishing structured monitoring and maintenance frameworks aligned with projected climate trajectories
Developing an Automated Design tool for Open Drainage Channel Case Study: Namatala Catchment, Mbale - Uganda
(Busitema University, 2026-06-17) Anyango, Esther Kelvin
Urban flooding is one of the most destructive consequences of inadequate stormwater infrastructure, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the Namatala Catchment (330 km2), Mbale City, Uganda, chronic flooding driven by poorly designed open drainage channels has displaced over 6,000 households and caused an estimated UGX 3.4 billion in damage since 2010. These failures persist due to continued reliance on the Rational Method, a peak discharge model fundamentally unsuitable for large, geomorphologically complex catchments, and the absence of any locally calibrated, integrated computational design tool within professional engineering practice. This study develops an automated computational design tool for open drainage channels, implemented as both a MATLAB–SWMM analytical framework and a browser-based web application accessible from any internet-connected device without specialist software. The tool executes a complete seven-step hydrological and hydraulic design pipeline: (i) catchment delineation from SRTM 30 m digital elevation data using ArcGIS; (ii) rainfall frequency analysis via Gumbel Extreme Value Type I (EV-I) distribution fitted to 25 years of NASA POWER daily rainfall data; (iii) Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curve generation; (iv) peak discharge estimation using the TRRL East African Flood Model as the primary method, with the Rational Method and SCS Curve Number as secondary comparators; (v) optimal trapezoidal channel sizing via Newton-Raphson iteration of Manning's equation with MATLAB optimisation; (vi) hydraulic constraint verification including Froude number, permissible velocity, and tractive force checks; and (vii) automated accuracy benchmarking against SWMM dynamic wave simulation outputs. Applied to the Namatala Catchment at the 10-year return period, the TRRL model converges in three iterations to a design peak discharge of Q = 63.3 m3/s compared to Q = 427.9 m3/s from the Rational Method (+576% overestimation) and Q = 63.731 m3/s from SWMM dynamic wave simulation (0.68% deviation) confirming near-perfect cross-validation accuracy. The resulting trapezoidal channel iii dimensions across all three design reaches achieve subcritical flow (Fr < 1.0) and comply with all permissible velocity and tractive force thresholds. The browser-based web application, built on React 18, TypeScript, Zustand, and Zod and deployed on the Vercel content delivery network, executes the full pipeline in under two seconds a 240:1 computational efficiency gain over the 48-hour manual design workflow. The tool supports session persistence, interactive IDF visualisations, manual cross-validation, and client-side PDF report generation, and is transferable to other East African ungauged catchments. The study demonstrates that: (i) the TRRL East African Flood Model is the only valid primary discharge method for the Namatala Catchment; (ii) the Rational Method must be retired from large-catchment drainage practice in Uganda; and (iii) browser-based automated design tools can eliminate the efficiency and accuracy barriers preventing evidence-based design at scale contributing a validated open-access tool and an empirical basis for national guideline revision. Keywords: TRRL East African Flood Model; open drainage channel; Namatala Catchment; Manning's equation; SWMM validation; automated design tool; Mbale Uganda; Gumbel EV-I; React web application.
Development of a Hybride Model for Prediction of River Water Quality
(Busitema University, 2026) Lolem, Joseph Pelerino
Water quality degradation in transboundary catchments threatens public health and water supply, yet predictive tools combining physical hydrology with data driven classification remain absent for data scarce regions like Uganda’s Malaba River catchment. This study developed, calibrated, and validated a hybrid SWAT ANN model to predict river water quality classification from simulated hydrological and pollutant outputs. SWAT was set up using CHIRPS rainfall, NASA POWER climate data, land use, soil, and DEM, calibrated (2003–2014) and validated (2015–2025) against observed streamflow, achieving satisfactory performance (calibration NSE=0.79, R²=0.85; validation NSE=0.69, R²=0.76). An ANN with three hidden layers was trained on the Washington State WQI dataset (805 clean records) to classify water quality into five CCME classes, attaining 84.47% accuracy, with sediment and turbidity as dominant drivers. Applied to SWAT outputs, the hybrid model generated 276 monthly predictions (2003–2025), predicting Fair (48.6%) and Marginal (42.0%) as dominant classes, no Poor quality, and identifying hotspot subbasins (1,6,19,24). The Long-Wet season (March–May) showed 75.4% Marginal conditions, while July recorded the best quality. External validation achieved 100% agreement with primary field data (mean WQI 76.2, Fair) and seasonal benchmarks (4/4 seasons), with a paired t test confirming no significant difference between observed and simulated streamflow (p=0.0506). The hybrid SWAT ANN framework provides a physically grounded, data driven water quality prediction tool supporting proactive management by MWE and NEMA.
Comparative Assessment of Hec-Hms and Hec-Hms_Xgboost Models to Simulate Streamflow under Climate Change for Flood Control Structure Design in River Sipi Catchment, Eastern Uganda
(Busitema University, 2026) Canwat, Emmanuel
Climate change has significantly intensified the frequency and magnitude of flood events in data-scarce tropical mountainous catchments such as the River Sipi catchment on the slopes, posing serious risks to infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods. Conventional physically-based models such as HEC-HMS exhibit critical limitations in capturing the nonlinear, complex dynamics of high-flow peak events under non-stationary climate conditions, compromising the reliability of flood control structure design in such areas. The study comparatively assessed the performance of the conventional HEC-HMS model and a hybrid HEC-HMS_XGBoost model in simulating streamflow under present and future climate scenarios for improved flood control structure design in the Sipi River catchment. The HEC-HMS and the hybrid models utilized historical hydrological data from 2010-2024 for calibration and validation. Future streamflow projections from 2025-2100 were generated by running both calibrated models with bias-corrected and downscaled CMIP6 climate data. Flood frequency analysis using the Gumbel extreme value distribution was applied to derive design discharges Q_10, Q_25, Q_50, and Q_100, which were subsequently used to size four flood control structures: culverts, spillways, bridge waterway openings, and detention basins. The hybrid model substantially outperformed HEC-HMS, achieving NSE values of 0.985 and 0.967 during calibration and validation, with KGE values of 0.934 and 0.893 respectively, compared to unsatisfactory HEC-HMS NSE values of 0.311 and 0.400. Future simulations revealed significantly divergent behavior under SSP5-8.5, HEC-HMS projected a Q_100 of 30.32 m³/s, a 38.5% increase above its Q_10 of 21.89 m³/s, while the hybrid model produced a more stable Q_100 of 21.51 m³/s, only 20.7% above its Q_10 of 17.82 m³/s. Notably, under SSP2-4.5 the hybrid model projected higher discharges than HEC-HMS, providing a physically corrected rather than uniformly lower estimates. Model divergence translated directly into significant structural sizing differences; culvert diameters differed by 14%, spillway crest lengths by 41%, bridge waterway spans by 36%, and detention basin volumes by 59% under SSP5-8.5 Q_100. The study concludes that the HEC-HMS_XGBoost hybrid model provides more reliable, physically plausible, and climate-resilient design discharges than standalone HEC-HMS, and recommends its adoption as the primary basis for flood control structure design in data-scarce tropical mountainous catchments. The standalone HEC-HMS projections under SSP5-8.5 are best reserved as upper-bound safety checks.
Design and Construction of a Water Softening System
(2026) Masengere Isaac, Grace
Access to clean, safe, and readily available drinking water is a fundamental pillar of public health and sustainable development worldwide. The borehole supplying Login Hostel in Syaule, Busia District, has severely hard water (320 mg/L as CaCO3), causing health and operational problems for students. To solve this, we designed and built a solar-powered electrocoagulation water softening system. The system meets a maximum daily demand of 3.9 m3/d for 30 residents. Electrocoagulation was chosen because it scored highest (126 points) in a technology analysis, and aluminum was selected for both electrodes with a score of 135 points. The design features a 7-ring helical coil creating 6 electrochemical cells inside a 3.5-inch polyvinyl chloride casing. It includes a three-stage downstream filter: a polypropylene sediment filter, a granular activated carbon buffer, and a compressed carbon block. Power comes from a 12.8 V, 120 Ah LiFePO4 battery, charged by a 300 W to 350 W monocrystalline solar panel and regulated by a 30 A Maximum Power Point Tracking charge controller. Testing at 9 V, 12 V, and 24 V proved that 12 V works best. At 12 V, the system removed 62% of the water hardness while using only 0.81 kWh/m3 of electricity. After 60 minutes of continuous flow, the final hardness dropped to a safe 125.3 mg/L. A 24-hour test showed the battery stayed safely above a 50% charge level throughout operation. Financially, the system costs 1,200,000 Ugandan Shillings to build. Over five years, it produces a Net Present Value of 11,330,586 Ugandan Shillings, a payback period of 5.4 months, and a profitability index of 7.30.
A Hybrid Modflow-Machine Learning Approach for Groundwater Prospecting and Optimal Borehole Siting
(Busitema University, 2026) Ouma, Hassan Masinde
This report presents the role of a hybrid MODFLOW-Machine Learning (ML) approach in predicting groundwater potential and optimizing borehole siting in the Awoja Catchment in eastern Uganda. Groundwater remains the primary source of safe water for rural communities in Uganda; however, its exploration and development are often hindered by limited hydrogeological data and the use of conventional methods that inadequately capture subsurface variability. The study integrates the physically based MODFLOW groundwater flow model with data-driven ML algorithms, including Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Artificial Neural Networks, and XGBoost to form a hybrid framework capable of enhancing groundwater prospecting accuracy. Hydrogeological, geological, soil, and climatic datasets were utilized to simulate aquifer conditions, generate hydraulic parameters, and train predictive models. Model performance was evaluated using statistical indicators such as the Coefficient of Determination (R²), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE). The hybrid model demonstrates superior predictive accuracy compared to standalone ML approaches, effectively delineating high-yielding aquifer zones and identifying optimal borehole locations. The findings provide a framework that supports efficient groundwater exploration, minimizes drilling failure rates, and promotes sustainable groundwater management. This study directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on clean water and sanitation and aligns with Uganda’s Third National Development Plan (NDPIII), which prioritizes reliable and sustainable groundwater utilization for socio-economic development.
Developer excavates Muyenga hill, exposes water tanks to risk
(New Vision, 2017-09-20) Ssenyonga, Andrew
Kampala and its suburbs are at a risk of descending into an acute water crisis after a developer commenced excavating Muyenga Tank Hill that hosts vital water distribution facilities. Christopher Mugenyi, a private developer is excavating land on the slopes of the Muyenga Tank Hill where National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has its tanks with 25 million litres of water.
Water defaulters to get free meters
(New Vision, 2018-05-25) Nsaba, Lisa
Ugandans with illegal connections to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) network have been called upon to report themselves so that they are reconnected rightfully without charges within a six month amnesty period.
National water rolls out prepaid meters in Kampala.
(Saturday Vision, 2017-08-12) Agaba, Vivian
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has signed a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Chinese company Huawei International to provide pre-paid water meters in selected parts of Kampala. This is anew water meter solution that uses Internet of Things (IOT) to perform functions of prepayment and reduction of non-revenue water among other benefits.
Govt launches water project in Kagadi
(New Vision, 2018-04-27) Kasooha, Ismael
The Government has launched a sh1b gravity flow water project in Kyaterekera Growth Centre, Kagadi district to address water scarcity in the are. Over 50 households will be given permission to connect water if they meet the required standards.
Kibuule, Chinese investors widen stream to avert flooding in Mbalala
(New Vision, 2018-05-02) Nsubuga, Henry
After days of heavy flooding and destruction of property, residents if Kasenge and Mbalala in Nama sub-county, Mukono district have got a reason to smile following intervention by Chinese investors.
Musisi-Musoke, Mike
(New Vision, 2018-06-14) Nsubuga, Henry
State Minister for water Ronald Kibuule has threatened to arrest National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC service providers for reportedly inflating the cost of connecting new consumers to the national grid.
Luweero gets Shs12b water treatment plant.
(Daily Monitor, 2017-10-27) Otage, Stephen
National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has completed construction of a Shs12b water treatment plant to serve Luweero Triangle. Speaking during the inspection of the completed works yesterday, Mr. Ronald Kisakye, the area manager, said the new plant will serve the towns of Semuto,
Sh40b water project launched for Ibanda, Kiruhura districts.
(New Vision, 2017-08-15) Odeng, Michael
the government, through the water ministry, with funding from the African Development Bank (ADB), has commenced works for the long awaited multi-billion piped water project to supply the districts of Ibanda and Kiruhura. The memorandum of understanding was reached between the water ministry and Ibanda district in the presence of the constructors during the project inception workshop held at Ibanda Resort Hotel on Friday.
Residents in water crisis.
(Daily Monitor, 2017-10-04) Ebong, Patrick
Residents of Lira Municipality who rely on piped water supplied by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) are facing water scarcity after the generator used for pumping water at Kachung broke down on Monday afternoon. "Our generator at Kachung has broken down.
Put waste water to use with water filter system
(Daily Monitor, 2017-10-11) Mukooza, S. David
Keeping green, especially in the compounds is hard when the weather becomes harsh. However, with water purifier waste water can be put to use.
Wakiso residents get piped water
(New Vision, 2018-05-11) Aaca, Cindy; Okoth, Cecilia
For the past 10 years, Mohammed Lujinji, a resident of Busukuma division in Nasana Municipality, Wakiso district had been wrestling with fellow residents to get water from the single borehole that served the whole community. " It was a nightmare and on top of queuing for long hours, a 20 litre jerrycan went for sh500 and up to sh1,000 during the dry season," he said .

Browse

Recent Submissions