22-11-2012, 06:14 PM
APPLICATION OF GIS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF SABALAN GEOTHERMAL FIELD, NW-IRAN
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ABSTRACT
In a world that is showing an increasing concern for the environment, there is a
greater emphasis on the utilization of clean and sustainable energy sources such as
geothermal energy. In this report, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is
presented for a geothermal project on the western plains of Mt. Sabalan,
approximately 16 km southeast of Meshkinshahr City, in the province of Ardabil in
Northwest Iran. The study area is a catchment of Khiav River and its area is about
132 km2. Various researchers have investigated the possible development of
geothermal resources for the past few years in order to install a power station,
possibly the first of a number of such stations.
A preliminary review was carried out of the possible environmental effects of this
proposed project as a precursor to an EIA. An attempt was made to identify the
likely key impacts of geothermal exploration, drilling, and operation, and to suggest
potential mitigating measures. The results indicate that detailed studies are
necessary on the water supply for drilling, how to properly dispose of effluent
water, the effects of gas emissions to the atmosphere during drilling and operation,
and methods of reducing soil erosion. It is also recommended that a detailed
assessment survey on the biology of the area be carried out as well as a study of the
socio-economic effects of this project on Meshkinshahr and the nearby villages’
residents.
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, attention has been focussed on the utilization of geothermal energy as an alternative to
hydropower, and fossil fuel power plants. The environmental aspects of geothermal development are
receiving increasing attention with the shift in attitudes towards the world’s natural resources. Not
only is there increased awareness of the effect of geothermal development on the surrounding
ecosystems and landscape, but great effort is also being made to use the resources in a sustainable
manner. Geothermal power generation is often considered a ‘clean’ alternative to fossil fuel or nuclear
power plants but it is still necessary to survey its effects on the environment. Geothermal power
generation results in the release of non-condensable gases, and fine solid particles to the atmosphere.
The geothermal operation in Iran was started by the Ministry of Energy in 1975. The results of the
surveys indicate that Iran has substantial geothermal potential, especially in the Sabalan, Sahand
(Khoy-Maku) and Damavand regions, and that they are reasonable prospects for electric power
generation and direct use. The Electric Power Research Centre (EPRC) and the Renewable Energy
Organization of Iran (SUNA) were to establish priorities for the above mentioned regions (Fotouhi and
Noorollahi, 2000). As a result of the investigations the Meshkinshahr and Sarein fields in the Sabalan
region were proposed for electricity generation and direct use, respectively. In 1998 Kingston
Morrison Ltd. (KML) on behalf of SUNA completed a resistivity survey consisting of D.C., TEM, and
MT measurements in Meshkinshahr and locations of three exploration wells were proposed in 1998.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA)
What is EIA?
EIA is a relatively new planning and decision-making tool first established in the United States in the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. It is a formal study process used to predict the
environmental consequences of any development project and its environmental management. The
EIA tool is used worldwide as an instrument for developmental planning and control. It is an effort to
anticipate and quantify the socio-economic and biophysical changes that may result from a proposed
project. It assists decision-makers in considering the proposed projects’ environmental costs and
benefits. When benefits sufficiently exceed the costs, a project can be viewed as environmentally
justified. Some future measures may be required to reduce anticipated environmental degradation.
Definition of EIA
EIA can be defined as a process for identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical
biological, hydrological, ecological, meteorological, noise, economical, social, and other relevant
effects prior to development, then using the conclusions as a tool in planning and decision-making. In
other words, impact assessment, simply defined, is the process of identifying the future consequences
of a current or proposed action.
Purpose of EIA
Environmental assessment enables us to carry out an environmental cost-benefit analysis of projects at
an initial stage. It is a precursor to detailed analysis of environmental impacts, which are taken up
only if a need for the same is established. It gives a view of the actors involved in the developmentenvironment
linkages. This is required in view of the fact that the community at large is always at a
loss in terms of deterioration of living environment that accompanies industrial development. Based
on Environmental Impact Assessment, regulatory measures can be identified and the roles of agencies
concerned defined for achieving more efficient environmental management.
EIA framework
Several countries have over 20 years experience in applying EIA (e.g. USA, Australia, Canada and
New Zealand). Recently, the number of countries with an active EIA process has increased rapidly,
possibly to more than 100 countries. The environmental assessment process has been defined
differently in different countries. In fact, it appears that no two countries have defined it in exactly the
same way. General blanket statements are often made that developing countries all lag behind the
industrial countries in terms of environmental issues (Goff and Goff, 1997). The United States was
the first country to legislate for EIA. It is interesting to note that the Philippines have required EIAs
for certain projects since 1977. In addition to the different approaches to the process, there are wide
varieties of formats for EIAs available. Generally, studies of physical, chemical, biological and socioeconomic
impacts are carried out for an EIA. These parameters are differently defined in different
countries, using different EIA evaluation criteria. Matrices, checklists and flow charts are the most
commonly used techniques for impact identification. The Geographical Information System (GIS)
and overlay maps can give a good evaluation of environmental impact. In addition, monitoring is
important for checking the results of an EIA, but is very difficult to develop for economical and
technical reasons. A general EIA process is shown in Figure 1.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS)
GIS is a set of computerized tools (including both hardware and software) for collecting, storing,
retrieving, transforming, and displaying spatial data. GIS is essentially a marriage between
computerized mapping and data base management systems. Anything that can appear on a map can be
encoded into a computer and then compared to anything on any other map, using longitude-latitude
coordinates. GIS is a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying
geographically referenced information to their locations. GIS technology can be used for scientific
investigations, resource management, and community education.
Maps have been used for thousands of years, but it is only within the last few decades that the
technology has existed to combine maps with computer graphics and databases to create GIS. In other
words, GIS can be regarded as the high-tech equivalent of a map. An individual map contains a lot of
information, which is used in different ways by different individuals and organizations. It represents a
means of locating ourselves in relation to the world around us. Maps are used in diverse applications;
from locating telephone wires and gas mains under our streets, to displaying the extent of deforestation
in the Brazilian Amazon and the thawing of a glacier in Iceland. Maps are static and 0, is
used to display and analyze spatial data which are tied to databases. This connection is what gives
GIS its power: maps can be drawn from the database and data can be referenced from the maps. When
a database is updated, the associated map can be updated as well. GIS databases include a wide
variety of information including geographic, social, political, environmental, and demographic.
APPLICATION OF GIS IN EIA
Geographical information systems can be applied at all EIA stages. EIA is a decision process, which
aims to both identify and anticipate impacts on the natural environment. The interface between these
two components produces several effects, which will generate specific impacts. GIS can also be
explored within the EIA process to improve different features, mainly related to data storage and
access, to the analytical capabilities and to the communicability of the results. The development of
such a system will allow a more realistic approach to the environmental descriptors and a better
understanding of their interrelationships. GIS will bring to the EIA process a new way of analyzing
and manipulating spatial objects and an improved way of communicating the results of the analysis,
which can be of great importance to the public participation process.
The use of GIS in the EIA process, where public participation is of great importance, requires the
development of applications allowing a better understanding of spatial phenomena. During the EIA
process many different variables and phenomena presenting complex interrelationships, which vary in
space and time are considered. These procedures involve technical analysis that includes changing
assumptions and priorities and descriptions of significant visual and audible impacts.
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR EIA IN IRAN
The Iranian Department of Environment (DoE) is responsible for the protection of the environment,
ensuring legitimate and sustainable utilization of natural resources to guarantee sustainable
development, controlling pollution, prevention of the destruction of the environment, and the
preservation of Iran’s biodiversity. Any industrial and construction activity in the country needs
permission from the DoE according to size and type. An EIA particularly needs to be carried out for
power plants planned to be 100 MW or larger. Iran is facing serious environmental problems such as
air and water pollution, soil erosion and loss of biodiversity. The root of these problems lies in
population growth, rapid urbanization, expanded industrialization, and unwise use of agricultural land,
rangelands and forests. Appropriate land use and management practices are the key factors in this
context.