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AGU: Water Resources Research

 

Keywords

  • hydrologic modeling
  • environmental management
  • malaria
  • vector control
  • Sahel
  • Anopheles gambiae

Index Terms

  • Hydrology: Water management
  • Hydrology: Modeling
  • Hydrology: Human impacts

Abstract

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. 45, W08438, 12 PP., 2009
doi:10.1029/2008WR007567

Hydrologic modeling to screen potential environmental management methods for malaria vector control in Niger

Rebecca L. Gianotti

Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Arne Bomblies

Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Elfatih A. B. Eltahir

Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

This paper describes the first use of Hydrology-Entomology and Malaria Transmission Simulator (HYDREMATS), a physically based distributed hydrology model, to investigate environmental management methods for malaria vector control in the Sahelian village of Banizoumbou, Niger. The investigation showed that leveling of topographic depressions where temporary breeding habitats form during the rainy season, by altering pool basin microtopography, could reduce the pool persistence time to less than the time needed for establishment of mosquito breeding, approximately 7 days. Undertaking soil surface plowing can also reduce pool persistence time by increasing the infiltration rate through an existing pool basin. Reduction of the pool persistence time to less than the rainfall interstorm period increases the frequency of pool drying events, removing habitat for subadult mosquitoes. Both management approaches could potentially be considered within a given context. This investigation demonstrates that management methods that modify the hydrologic environment have significant potential to contribute to malaria vector control in water-limited, Sahelian Africa.

Received 4 November 2008; accepted 14 May 2009; published 28 August 2009.

Citation: Gianotti, R. L., A. Bomblies, and E. A. B. Eltahir (2009), Hydrologic modeling to screen potential environmental management methods for malaria vector control in Niger, Water Resour. Res., 45, W08438, doi:10.1029/2008WR007567.

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