PARAMETER OPTIMISATION OF RIVER WATER QUALITY MODELS USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS BY

river water quality models using genetic algorithms Rivers can provide valuable supply of drinking water for humans, irrigation water to farmlands, water for hydropower and home for many aquatic ecosystems. However, due to population increase and its adverse effects on the rivers, inappropriate fanning activities in the river catchments, and other similar adverse activities, the water quality in rivers has generally declined. Therefore, appropriate river water quality management strategies aimed at controlling and improvmg water quality should be seriously considered. At least, these strategies should not reduce further degradation of current water quality in rivers. To manage river water quality in the most effective and efficient way, the cause and effect relationships of the river system must fh-st be investigated. One example of this cause and effect relationship is the inappropriate setting of effluent hcense limits for sewage treatment plants (STPs). Setting low effluent license lunits causes poor rive