Republic University (Universidad de la Repblica) Presentation - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

North headquarters (Regional Norte), Salto, Uruguay

Republic University (Universidad de la República)

 Decentralization of Republic University (UDELAR)

research and college education in Uruguay

 Creation ¡of ¡a ¡new ¡national ¡degree: ¡“Licenciatura en

Ciencias Hídrias Aplicadas” ¡(Applied Water Sciences

degree)

 Water Department research lines and current projects

 General description  Virus in groindwater

Presentation organization

Uruguay

Netherlands

Population 3,300,000

16,800,000

Area km^2 176,215

41,543

Gross Domestic Product per capita $ 16,330.00 $ 46,142.00 Human Development Index 0.792

0.921

(United Nations Development Programme) high (50st) very high (4th)

Some numbers

5 United States Very high human development 27 Spain 41 Chile 49 Argenitna 79 Brasil High human development 98 Colombia

What do you know about Uruguay?

What do you know about Uruguay? El ¡mate….

Land of players with Bad Sports Behavior

What do you know about Uruguay?

A country where controversial laws have been approved recently

What do you know about Uruguay?

What do you know about Uruguay?

Have you hear about the decentralization process of research and college education in Uruguay public University (UDELAR) ?

 The Republic University (UDELAR,

“Universidad ¡de ¡la ¡República”) ¡is ¡the ¡ biggest University in Uruguay

 80% of national college tuition  75 % of Uruguay scientific production

Promote an homogeneous national development based on a cultured society Facilitate access to collage education and university research capacity

• In 2007 UDELAR start developing a strategy to

expand the University outside the capital city

 56.5% of young people

between 18 and 24 live

• utside the capital city*

* Universidad de la República. Plan Estratégico de Desarrollo de la Universidad de la República (PLEDUR), Montevideo, 2005. Pág. 26

 34.2% of college tuition is

made up of students born

• utside the capital city*

Some numbers

Some numbers

4-6 people/Km2 6-15 people/Km2 15-35 people/Km2 >35 people/Km2

55% of Uruguay population is concentrated in the Capital City influence area. 8% of university students (8.000) is concentrated in north-west region 88% of university students (88.000) are concentrated in the Capital City

 Define specific research areas to be developed in different

regions of the country attuned to local activities

North West Region:

• Biotechnology
• Health
• Water and

Energy

• Agriculture: food

and industry

Northeast Region:

• Natural Resources and

Sustainable Development

• Wood
• Meat

Eastern Region:

• Environment, Biodiversity

and Ecology

• Coastal and Fisheries
• Tourism

 Provide relevant research activity and educational offer

according to local needs

UDELAR´s Decentralization strategy

 In this context, in 2010 the Water Department

was created at the ¡“Salto” ¡district. ¡

 Research lines:

 Groundwater flow and transport modeling  Geophysics  Drainage and irrigation of extensive crops  Hydraulic and Hydrological modeling

Water department

• Teaching

– Degree in Applied Water Sciences

• New Degree in the Country
• Academically dependent on the Faculty of Engineering, with the

support of the Faculty of Agriculture

Water department

 Current staff:

Full time:

 3 Agronomist Engineers (1 MSc.: Soil Drainage, 2 MSc. Student: Irrigation)  1 Civil Engineers (PhD: Hydrogeology,)  1 Electro-mechanic Engineer (MSc. Student: Geophisics)  1 Computer Engineer (MSc. Student: High Performance Computing)  1 ¡“Civil-Agronomist” ¡(PhD: Hydrodynamic modelling)

Part time (teaching activities mainly)

 1 Civil Engineers (MSc: Hydrology)  1 Agronomist Engineers ( MSc.: Soil Drainage)  2 Chemist (1 PhD Student)  1 Degree in atmospheric sciences  1 Geologist  1 Surveyor Engineer

Water department

• On going incorporations (full time):

– 1 Chemist (in charge of a physicochemical water analysis laboratory) – 2 full time professors (assistant and associated positions) – 2 students (to be trained)

• On going incorporations (full time) in Paysandú district:

– 2 river ecologists (1 PhD, 1 MSc)

Creation of a new national degree on Salto: “Licenciatura en Ciencias Hídrias Aplicadas”

(Applied Water Sciences degree)

Civil engineer

Concept:

Agronomist Environmentalist WATER and ¡more…

 Assessment of water resources availability  Small civil engineering projects related to water resources  Design of irrigation systems  Studies of urban drainage  Agriculture effluent treatment and sanitation for small

communities

 Integrate research groups in water sciences  Integrate professional work groups related to water

management

“Licenciatura en Ciencias Hídrias Aplicadas”

(Applied Water Sciences degree)

Profile:

Semestre 1 Semestre 2 Año 1 Cálculo 1 Cálculo 2 2012 Física 1 Física 2 Geometría y álgebra lineal 1 Geometría y álgebra lineal 2 Taller de diseño 1 Geología Electromagnetismo* Año 2 Edafología Computación y métodos numéricos 2013 Mecánica de fluidos Agrometeorología Hidrología Química del agua Hidráulica de conducciones a superficie libre Introducción a la actividad agropecuaria* Año 3 Instalaciones hidráulicas a presión Sistemas de riego y drenaje 1 2014 Modelos hidrológico Medio ambiente y calidad de agua Geofísica general Geotécnica Topografía y Sistemas de Información Geográfica Métodos geofísicos aplicados Año 4 Sistemas de riego y drenaje 2 Agroefluentes y saneamiento para pequeñas comunidades 2015 Hidrología urbana Hidrometria y obras hidráulica Hidrología subterránea Normativa, legislación y economía del agua Pasantía Proyecto Introducción a la Probabilidad y la Estadística

“Licenciatura en Ciencias Hídrias Aplicadas”

(Applied Water Sciences degree)

 Research lines:

 Groundwater flow and transport modeling

Water department

Collaboration with IDAEA-CSIC, UPC (Spain) Modeling the hydrogeochemical evolution of brine in saline systems: case study of the Sabkha of Oum El Khialate in South East Tunisia

 Groundwater and geophysics

Water department

– Advances in the hydrogeologic knowledge of Sistem aquifer Guaraní in the southern region (funded by the Water Resources Secretariat –Argentina)

In collaboration with: Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) and Universidad del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires

– Update of the of Guarani Aquifer numerical model for Concordia-Salto area (funded by DINAGUA: National Water Direction)

Tourism industry associated to hot spring water

Water department

 Groundwater flow and transport modeling

Water department

 Using geothermal energy

for heating greenhouses

Water department

 Using geothermal energy

for heating greenhouses

1 2 3 4 Acumulada SC 5.05 79.32 115.47 155.76 Acumulada CC 66.27 355.85 505.90 661.54 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 kg de Tomate

Producción Total

– Water balance of “Cuenca ¡del ¡Plata” (Uruguay balance)

Water department

• Hydrological modeling

MGB (daily time step): ¡“Arapey” ¡basin Témez (monthly time step)

 Resolution transport equation on GPU

2 2

c c c S D u t x x         Assessment of accuracy/ efficiency for implicit and explicit schemes on GUP

Water department

Water department

 Alternative

Analysis for mitigating the effects of climate variability and climate change, to promote production in “Gestido Colony” ¡ Salto.

Platform for irrigation experimentation and teaching and small basins hydrological monitoring.

Water department

 The platform allowed to develop projects together with

INIA (National Institute of Agricultural Research)

Water department

A 4 year experiment will start this year: Soil properties are going to be evaluated in 6 sets of continuous rotation in rainfed agriculture, surface irrigation and center pivot irrigation.

Virus in Groundwater: Characterization of transport mechanisms and impact on productive areas dedicated to fruit and vegetable production in Salto

Salto’s ¡fruit ¡and ¡vegetable production “belt”

greenhouses area with poor sanitation

Production in the area depends on groundwater

Groundwater is also used for human consumption

Tourism industry associated to hot spring water (Guarani Aquifer)

But ¡"cold” ¡water ¡for ¡other ¡uses ¡ came from the shallow aquifer

Water for recreation and hydrotherapy came from Guarani aquifer (1000m depth)

Aquifers in Salto

Salto formation Quaternary pleistocene Sedimentary aquifer Arapey formation Cretaceous Basalt spill Fractured aquifer

The proximity of wells to septic tanks or populated areas without sanitation increase the likelihood that viral pathogens might also be occurring. Several studies found wells with bacterial contamination.

• utcrop

Project objectives:

I. Monitor the spatiotemporal evolution of microbiological contamination for one year

• II. Validate (through experiments and simulation)

models of processes that affect virus transport through porous media.

Project presented to the National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII) Virus in Groundwater: Characterization of transport mechanisms and impact on productive areas dedicated to fruit and vegetable production in Salto

I. Monitor the spatiotemporal evolution of microbiological contamination for one year

 Define a monitoring network of at least 15 wells

 Bimonthly sampling for viral and bacterial analysis  Biannual sampling for chemical analysis

• Given the lack of precedents concerning viral

contamination in the area, an exploratory campaign will be preformed to define the monitoring network Base information:

• bacteriological analysis for some wells
• Sewerage plans
• Wells register (less than a third of actual wells)

 Wells Survey

 well construction information  proximity to septic tanks or areas without

sanitation

Exploratory campaign

• Well samples

– Bacteriological analysis – Viral analysis

 Membrane filtration method*

Total coliforms:

* According to the "Handbook of analytical procedures for environmental samples" of DINAMA (National Environmental Agency) MGAP (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries - Uruguay)

Reagents: Peptone, ethanol, m-ENDO Agar LES, distilled water. Incubation: oven at 35 ± 0.5°C for 22-24 hours. Thermotolerant coliforms: Reagents: Peptone, ethanol, M-FC Agar, distilled water. Incubation: oven at 44.5 ± 0.2 °C for 24 ± 2 hours.

• Well samples

– Bacteriological analysis =>

10 L of groundwater

Flocculation method

(Calgua et al., 2008)

Exploratory campaign

Can you imagine having to climb a ladder in order to take a groundwater sample?

Exploratory campaign

Results

Exploratory campaign

Results

Wells annual survey

Wells annual survey

mainly bicarbonate- magnesium waters

Wells annual survey

 bicarbonatadas-magnésicas

Virológico Bacteriológico Virológico Bacteriológico Virológico Bacteriológico Virológico Bacteriológico Virológico Bacteriológico + + + +

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4to muestreo bimensual 26, 27 y 30/05/14 Screening 1er muestreo bimensual 2do muestreo bimensual 3er muestreo bimensual 14/05/13 al 11/09/13 25/11/13 al 27/11/13 27/01/14 al 29/01/14 24/03/14 al 26/03/14

Next step: column experiments

Column experiments: numerical modeling

Assistant and Associate Professor positions available for the Water Department at the Republic University, Salto, URUGUAY

The Republic University seeks applicants with experience and vision to consolidate a multidisciplinary research team in water

• science. Applicants are expected to hold a PhD or MSc related

to Hydrology and Urban Hydrology or Water Treatment and Environmental Management. Outstanding candidates will be considered for the Associate Professor positions. Recently graduated applicants willing to joining a master program are also encouraged to apply.