Kosi River Shifting: Sediments or Tectonics or Both

Recent abnormal tectonic acitity and subsequent earthquakes (12 May'08, 26 Aug'08) in China, Nepal & Tibet support my hypothesis that ongoing tectonic activities influenced the path of Kosi and its divergence point near supoil. River is under the influence of Malda Kishenganj fault on the eastern margin of Monghyr-sharasa ridge. It seems this fault is influenced by the recent China and Tibet earthquakes.

Although water level in the barrgae and rainfall is the cause for floods but rivers tendency yo erode its embankments has been influenced by other factors also. The reason for the sudden changes may be related to the the recent increased tectonic activities in Nepal & China Himalays. Frequency of earthauakes (more than 5 intensity) is observed highest in the last few dwcades.
In that paper i had identified the zones showing diffrent levels of tectonic influence on kosi River shifting. Geophysical data and GIS modeling using and RS images of different years proved that it is shifting its path under the influence of tectonic movements in its catchment area in Himalayas twoards China and Nepal side.

Kosi River changed its path in three main phases due to changes in the spatial position and orientation of its diversion points ( meeting point of three main basement faults). This is the fourth such phase and river will keep on gradually changing its position after that also. The diversion point of Kosi near Birpur has shifted north-eastward and it caused breaches in the East Kosi river south east of Chtara.

There are many ways to control the situation for temporary respite but the fact is that it is a problem that needs long term carefull micro level study study of the factors causing this shift since thousnad of years and then remedial planning by the India and Nepal. Its not that if you can fill the breach in the dam and the problem will be solved forever. The barrage's estimated lifespan of 30 years expired in 1986 but the river's morphology — it was showing a reverse tendency to shift eastward — began changing even earlier. Read the paper for more details.

http://www.gisdevelopment.net/application/geology/geomorphology/geom0002b.htm
In this paper i had identified the zones showing diffrent levels of tectonic influence on kosi River shifting. Geophysical data and GIS modeling using and RS images of different years proved that it is shifting its path under the influence of tectonic movements in its catchment area in Himalayas twoards China and Nepal side.

Chasing a Mirage: Accuracy improvement of Utility network

For any utility co. most critical requirement is a complete updated inventory of its assets. Any attempt to correct the network data at a later stage cannot result the desired sub-foot accuracy due to ever changing network and ongoing maintenance activities. The main aim should be to find a permanent sustainable solution to the problem of data updation and control of errors at the source to improve the accuracy. A sub-meter (50 cm) accuracy of GIS databbase is more than enough required for use with any OTDR and fault locator.

GIS database is an important Asset Management/Accounting tool and means of visualizing the location of the network assets quickly and presenting it in meaningful ways to assist network planning and maintenance activities. Though everyone wants highest accuracy possible but spatial accuracy of utility networks is not as important as emphasized by many GIS data users due to the following reasons:

1. GIS database cannot replace any engineering document like as-built drawing which is supposed to be the single independent document describing layout and technical characteristics of the network.

2. GIS database is best suited for tracking asset inventory, engineering analysis and customer support type activities. An updated database can be used for network planning (desired scale of 1:1000 or accuracy 1 M), fault locating, demand calculation, load change, load estimation type engineering analysis also. Again its currency and completeness are much more importnt than a pinpoint accuracy.

3. Accuracy of the top of line fault locators and OTDR available in the market are in the sub-meter range. There are no information available about their performance and accuracy and none of these claim sub-foot accuracy. So, a 50 cm accuracy map (as maintained by a carefully drawn 1: 500 scale as-built drawing) is better than what is required by any O&M staff.

4. Most of the maintenance problems and accidents during trenching occur due to human errors in cable/feeder identification, outdated as-builts and not due to its wrong location in GIS. This happens due to the use of old data/drawings that do not show current as-is situation in the ground than the issues related with the data accuracy.

Use of geophysical methods like cable tracing and Ground Penetrating Radadr (GPR) for locating underground utilities which are meant for knowing the approximate/supposed location of the objects are highly prone to errors with additional operational limitations of the equipment and ground conditions for any large project.

Ref.: www.esri.com/events/egug/sessions/tues_sessions.html

“If We’re so Good, Why Aren’t We Better?”

A progressive organization thinks: “If we’re so Good, Why Aren’t We Better?”

An organization stuck in the past thinks: “If there were a better way, we would have found it, and we’d be doing it।”

Projects are about technical management of delivery so all Quality aspects should be fixed by technical persons with exposure to different technology and organizations. Often this aspect is ignored when matters reach to decision-makers who can be easily influenced by the non-technical sales persons types.

Project management model for outsourced GIS services and IT/GIS consultancy projects can never be same. Identify the key factors, resourcing systems and role definitions. Consultancy projects demand expertise while data conversion projects require man management only.

Develop a capable team. Team members need a good understanding of the project’s fundamental components-goals, objectives, scope, problem statement, constraints and vision. This is the team that keeps a company ahead of other competitors.

Identify key sort-term goals. Form an Action Plan. Focus on long run perspective. Develop expertise and strategies.

Find a Business Strategist with a thorough understanding of Technology and GIS market to help the decision-makers by giving unbiased, for-sighted views on various business opportunities, pilots and other initiatives. This person should drive BD and Sales team because these teams usually focus on sort-term gains due to the pressure of their monthly review meetings and targets..

Control the practices and views that hide the underlying problems.