Abstract:
Planning for any development concepts are overwhelmed with complex and varied
diversities of requirements creating a situation where decision makers and
implementers have to analyze considerable amount of data sets before implementing
any such plans.
Land and water are limited scarce resources. The proper management of these
resources can be greatly facilitated by the use of GIS and spatial statistical
• methodologies. However, the discipline of spatial statistics has not developed well in
Sri Lanka. In order to fill the vacuum of knowledge it was decided to compile various
spatial statistical techniques available and describe those using local examples
especially they are related to water management.
Background of spatial statistics with some reference to present need of spatial
statistical techniques used to capture the natural variability is discussed in the ten
chapters of the thesis. Spatial statistical techniques such as central tendency, spatial
distribution of spatial data, spatial sampling techniques, bivariate observations in
spatial phenomena, spatial autocorrelation, time series analysis, and few spatial
statistical problems are discussed in detail. Development of these practical examples
was difficult due to lack of already worked out examples under local conditions. Most
of these examples are developed hypothetically and may not work out as it is in the
field. Hence, it is advisable to use appropriate statistical techniques when and where
necessary according to actual field conditions.
