optimization algorithm

The optimal managment of pollutants discharged into the rivers plays a critical role in improving water quality. In this paper, a new method is developed for Cost-based waste-load allocation (C-WLA) modeling with trade-off between the cost of treatment at loading points and the loss of pollution at the points of withdrawal from the river system. For this purpose, the qualitative simulation model (MIKE11) is coupled with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The model is applied to the Karoon River system. At the first step, the sum of treatment cost and loading damage of TDS pollutant was estimated in the river system. Then, with insights into the impacts of the trade-off policy between treatment cost of dischargers and pollutant load loss, optimal treatment percentages and optimal concentration threshold limit were determined in a monthly base and for one year. The results demonstrated that the C-WLA model has the good efficiency in managing the TDS pollutant, so that, the sum of the costs and losses is minimized at $48.99 million with optimal concentration threshold limit of 2450 mg/l at the discharge points and with an average of 17.85% of the optimal treatment at the loading points.

Groundwater storages are the main-source of water in Iran. With the developments in technology, utilization of these resources has been increased severely over the last few decades as the extracted water is more than the capacity of renewable water and has led to a depletion in groundwater-levels, a deterioration of these resources and associated negative consequences. Hence, the proper management of these valuable resources and the sustainability conservation are significant. Today, for proper management of groundwater resources, decision models can be used with a combined framework of simulation-optimization models. Therefore, in this research, using numerical simulation model (MODFLOW) over the management horizon of ten-years and ant-colony-optimization-algorithm, simulation-optimization model for the Namdan aquifer located in Fars province, Iran was developed. Three indices of sustainability, filling and restoration of the aquifer are considered to restoration management of groundwater resources in the study area, in line with Iran aquifer restoration plan. Based on the objective of reaching to the best condition of stability, filling, and restoration of the aquifer over the management horizon, the results has been indicated an increase of 3, 9.5 and 10.6 m of groundwater-level, respectively, compared to the beginning of the management horizon, which highlighted the necessity of proper-selection of objective-function considering the main objectives of the management plan and provided the feasibility of assessment on the requirements to implement the plan. Also, the use of three-indicators of reliability, utility and vulnerability to examine the results of scenarios shows the best aquifer status under scenario of applying the restoration-index.