The implementation of GIS in optimizing the alignment of open channels

This research involves the attempt to implement Geographic Information System (GIS) to obtain the optimum route/path between given source and demand points that will be lined by an open channel for water conveyance. This kind of route finding is usually performed manually by experienced engineers. The aim here is to minimize the difficult manual side of this process by means of maximizing the use of GIS based computer software. The results of the research shows that the direction of this research is still fresh and that there is a lot of work to be done to improve benefiting from such kind of software, both through understanding the behavior of the software, and also through allocating the performance of such task only to experienced engineers that are familiar with manipulating the software as well as with the different aspects of the optimization of the targeted optimum route. The results of the research were encouraging and prove that besides the success of software in optimizing the route of roads, railways, and pipelines, such software can even be successfully used for the optimization of open channels, where the alignment can move only downwards while considering the target of minimizing the total cut and fill volumes as well as trying to make them as equal as possible. Key words: Open Channel; GIS; Optimization; Alignment; Cut and Fill