Nile Countries are Preparing Water Monitoring System to Fill Data Gaps

Officials hope the hydromet system will help neighbours along the world’s longest river to manage the pressures of population growth, infrastructure and climate change.

By Frederic Musisi Timberlake in Kampala

The 10 countries along the River Nile are set to bring in a shared water and weather monitoring system next year, to promote efficient water use and inform water-sharing negotiations.

An idea first mooted in 2010, the “hydromet” system has been slow to materialize, due to funding shortfalls and political tensions.

Officials at the Nile Basin Initiative told Climate Home News they are ready to start installing equipment in late 2019, subject to resolving legal issues.

“The system will help us to know how much water is available and where, to enable us have a water accountability system,” NB river basin management specialist Mohsen Alarabawy said. “This will help to enrich the dialogue we are having on cooperation.”

The plan, according to a draft work programme, is to establish 53 hydrological stations in select areas in the 10 countries, plus a central database for capturing and storing the observations.

This information will be shared with all the governments, to help them monitor changes in rainfall and water consumption, improve climate change adaptation plans, and prepare for climate-linked hazards like floods and droughts.

Read the full story on the Climate Change News

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• Performance Benchmarking of River
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• River Basin management
• River Restoration
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• Hydrogeophysics
• Hydrologist
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• hydrometry and gauging stations
• Smart Water Monitoring