Water Resource Engineers and Environmental Hydraulics

In past decades, the fundamental notion of employing a multi-disciplinary approach to water resource projects was well received and promoted. According to this approach, water resource practitioners (especially engineers) should change their solution techniques and evaluation so that a solution would encompass a plethora of issues — both structural and non-structural — related to the project. It was recognized that solutions could not be based solely on mathematical models of flow conditions. Aspects such as ecology and non-technical issues such as recreational and societal needs should all be considered in the solution derivation process. Undoubtedly, sophisticated technical and mathematical tools (such as artificial neural network and genetic programming, and other tools related to Hydro-informatics) are essential to implement the approach. Added to this is the involvement of various professionals in certain projects. Planners, biologists, limnologists, economists, landscape architects, etc. are some of the other disciplines, besides engineers, involved in dealing with water resource projects. To address the issues, a distinct branch of engineering is imperative. The International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research initiated the Eco-hydraulic branch, the American Society of Civil Engineers formed the Environmental Hydraulic Technical Committee and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers has the Hydrotechnical branch. All in all, these efforts are intended to ensure not only that levels of awareness are elevated but also those levels of engineering practice are adjusted to suit. As a result, solutions would be environmentally friendly and/or sympathetic.