Computer processing of spatial data for water resources planning

Abstract

A BASIC Language computer program was developed, which is capable of storing/retrieving, displaying/printing, combining and masking spatial data. The program was then applied to a nation-wide small scale hydropower feasibility study in Tanzania. First, data about rainfall, evaporation, land slope and population density were collected and stored in the computer. The program combined the data together, to give very comprehensive picture of the potential small scale hydropower areas in Tanzania. Places covered by the existing National Grid were excluded by masking them out; resulting map was then interpreted by overlaying a transparent map showing the towns of Tanzania on this map for ease of interpretation.