Dr. Zati Sharip is a senior researcher at the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia. She also serves as the Head, Lake Research Unit, Water Quality and Environment Research Centre since 2007. She obtained her PhD from the University of Western Australia, Australia focusing on physical-chemical-biological interactions in a tropical lake. She has conducted various research on lakes and wetland for more than 12 years.
Monitoring water quality of inland water bodies such as lakes, reservoirs and ponds throughout Malaysia is important to ensure that these water bodies can be managed sustainably for their ecosystem functioning and services. Determining the quality of these water bodies for different uses is limited due to the unavailability of specific criteria or standards for such water bodies in the country. The aim of this study is to develop national water quality criteria and guidance values for lakes to enhance the water quality of the water bodies in Malaysia. The work is based on a literature review and a consensus among experts from the various stakeholders’ consultative sessions. The criteria were divided into four specific uses which aim at protecting the health of human and aquatic life. The criteria and standards are targeted for non‐regulatory purposes to promote lake quality monitoring by various stakeholders. More than 20 parameters were identified in the lake criteria to determine the classification. The identification of parameters and limits for the standards, however, was limited by data availability and appropriate understanding of the water body characteristics. The role of the criteria and their limitation was also discussed.
Part of the book: Water Quality
Hydrodynamic simulations using three-dimensional numerical model were carried out in three different shallow tropical lakes to understand the characteristics of water movement in the respective water bodies. The models were based on meteorological data from the nearest stations and calibrated with current measurement, temperature, or water-level data. The results show good agreement between measured and simulated velocities and/or temperature at certain depth. This study found that the major driving forces of the hydrodynamic pattern were different in the three lakes. Hydrodynamic simulations showed that Bukit Merah and Durian Tunggal reservoirs were more sensitive to wind-driven motion. Floodplain lakes, such as Bera Lake, are more sensitive to flood inflow by the main river during the monsoon season. Convective motion driven by water temperature gradient was important for Bukit Merah and Bera Lake.
Part of the book: Applications in Water Systems Management and Modeling