Land Degradation Problems and Their Implications for Food Shortage in South Wello, Ethiopia

/ Understanding the problems of land degradation and seeking long-lasting solutions to these problems should be one of the central concerns of countries such as Ethiopia where agriculture is the mainstay of no less than 85% of the population. To this end, the collaboration of policy makers, researchers, donor agencies, and the local people is indispensable. In this paper an attempt is made to discuss the causes of land degradation and the reasons for the failure in the endeavors made to solve the problems. Possible solutions, which may help to ameliorate the situation, are also suggested. The study deals with South Wello (a region in northern Ethiopia), but the assessment is, by and large, a reflection of most of the highlands in the country. KEY WORDS: Agroforestry; Donor agencies; Food for work; Hillside closures; Land rehabilitation; Local participation; Population growth; Reforestation     

A SELF-VERIFYING HYBRID COMPUTER MODEL OF RIVER-BASIN HYDROLOGY1

ABSTRACT. As demands upon available water supplies increase, there is an accompanying increase in the need to assess the downstream consequences resulting from changes at specific locations within a hydrologic system. The problem is approached in this study by hybrid computer simulation of the hydrologic system. Modeling concepts are based upon the development of basic relationships which describe the various hydrologic processes. Within a system these relationships are linked by the continuity-of-mass principle. Spatial resolution is achieved by considering the modeled areas as a series of subbasins. The time increment adopted for the model is one month, so that time varying quantities are expressed in terms of mean monthly values. The model is general in nature and is applied to a particular hydrologic system through a programmed verification procedure whereby model coefficients are evaluated for the particular system. In this study the model is applied to the Bear River basin of western Wyoming, southern Idaho, and northern Utah. Comparisons between observed and computed outflow hydrographs show good agreement. The utility of the model is demonstrated by predicting the effects of various possible water resource management alternatives. The verified hybrid computer program can be digitized for application to the digital computer.     

AN INSULATED EVAPORIMETER1

Evaporation was measured from a circular evaporation pan, 18 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep. The pan was insulated on the sides and bottom using 2 inches of freon-blown polyurethane foam. A U.S. Weather Bureau Class A evaporation pan was used to obtain reference evaporation measurements. Water evaporation from the Class A pan and the insulated pan were highly correlated. Using a water-methanol mixture, the insulated pan may be operated at temperatures below 32 F; the equivalent liquid water evaporation may be determined using a regression equation.     

电厂山区性河流取水工程安全设计分析

通过对代表性山区河流电厂的取水工程安全实例分析 ,根据取水方式不同 ,建议应采取的措施分为 :直接在天然河道上布置取水构筑物时 ,取水头部上下端加设三角形挡沙板 ,取水口上游设导沙丁坝 ,抬高取水头高程和进水底槛高程 ,并且可考虑设置两套取水系统 ,枯水期直接利用河道取水头取水 ,洪水期从移动式泵车取水 ;在河道上设置拦河低坝取水时 ,必须设置配套取水防沙设施 ,如排沙闸或冲沙闸 ,进水闸前设导沙坝 ,冲刷闸前设导沙坎 ,泄洪闸前设冲沙廊道和导流堤 ,还可在河道上设置潜水丁坝等。     

对“撞了白撞”问题的思考

在《中华人民共和国道路交通安全法》公布前后有关“撞了白撞”被否决的宣传对交通安全不利。“撞了白撞”的演绎存在片面性 ,“撞了白撞”被否决的宣传不符合自然科学规律 ,存在理论上的误区。人们应该清楚的认识到 :获得交通事故损害赔偿并非获得了交通安全保障 ;行人、非机动车等交通“弱者”在一定条件下可转化为交通“强者”。对法律、法规的宣传 ,既要讲究法律原则和社会道德准则 ,也要讲究科学性。     

水泥土搅拌桩复合地基静载试验检测法的安全度分析

在检测水泥土搅拌桩复合地基的承载力能否达到设计要求时 ,最常用的方法是单桩静载试验法和复合地基静载试验法。工程实践中发现 ,采用这两种静载试验方法得到的检测结果存在较大差异。笔者根据水泥土搅拌桩的基本特性 ,结合工程实例 ,对这两种静载试验检测结果存在的差异及其安全度进行比较分析 ,得出单桩静载试验法结果的安全度高于复合地基试验法结果的结论 ,因此 ,提出了一些合理化建议     

全国洪涝灾害警戒水域遥感数据库的研制

由于以往对发生的洪涝灾情没有形成统一的、客观的评价标准,而不同来源的各种数据往往大相径庭,使有关部门难以了解实际灾情。为此,提出了“警戒水域”的概念,利用TM和NOAA／AVHRR图像数据建立了我国七大江河地区洪涝灾害易发区的警戒水域遥感数据库,并用以指导洪涝灾情的监测与评估,为防洪救灾决策提供科学的、可靠的、时效性强的信息。该数据库的建立在我国的抗洪救灾中发挥了重要的作用。文章对其研究方法与其关键技术进行了介绍．     

重庆市旅游资源开发与旅游产业发展对策

本文在列举了重庆旅游资源的优势和特点的基础上,阐述了旅游业对发展重庆经济的功能;并就重庆市旅游规划的格局,以及如何保持该市旅游业持续、健康地发展提出了相应的对策。     

UNIT HYDROGRAPHS DERWED FROM THE NASH MODEL1

ABSTRACT: Unit hydrograph ordinates are often estimated by deconvoluting excess rainfall pulses and corresponding direct runoff. The resulting ordinates are given at discrete times spaced evenly at intervals equal to the duration of the rainfall pulse. If the new duration is not a multiple of the parent duration, hydrograph interpolation is required. Linear interpolation, piece-wise nonlinear interpolation and graphical smoothing have been used. These interpolation schemes are expedient but they lack theoretical basis and can lead to undesirable results. Interpolation can be avoided if the instantaneous unit hydrograph (IUH) for the watershed is known. Here two issues connected with the classic Nash IUH are examined: (1) how should the Nash parameters be estimated? and (2) under what conditions is the resulting hydrograph able to reasonably represent watershed response? In the first case, nonlinear constrained optimization provides better estimates of the IUH parameters than does the method of moments. In the second case, the Nash IUH gives good results on watersheds with mild shape unit hydrographs, but performs poorly on watersheds having sharply peaked unit hydrographs. Overall, in comparison to empirical interpolation alternatives, the Nash IUH offers a theoretically sound and practical approach to estimate unit hydrographs for a wide variety of watersheds.     

防灾减灾系统工程的国际对比分析及建议

针对我国现存的灾害状况,本文通过国际对比的方法,对其他国家已有的减灾系统工程作了简单介绍,并结合我国实际,对未来建立减灾系统工程中应着重加强的薄弱环节作了分析,提出了加强立法工作,增加减灾投入,建立全国统一的减灾通讯系统的建议。