FIVE East African
Community (EAC), member countries are to benefit from the Nile
Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP)'s establishment of a
hydrological monitoring network
of stations.
Burundi, Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda will have
the stations meant to provide real time data and more reliable
information to improve water resources planning and management both at
national and regional levels.
The move will
enable flood and drought disaster preparedness, monitoring of surface
water quality and sediment transport, coordinated management of water
storage dams, navigation and improved adaptation to climate change.
Nile Basin
Initiative Secretariat Knowledge Management Officer, Ms Juliet Nakasagga
told the 'Daily News' that the NELSAP component is part of the Nile
Basin Regional Hydromet project that is a basin-wide Euros 5.5 million
that is funded by the European Union (EU) -Germany's Federal Ministry of
Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
"In the EU-BMZ
funded project we will install a total of 80 hydrological stations
across the Nile River basin. The project is being implemented by the
three Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), centers and NELSAP is responsible for
the Nile Equatorial Lakes (NEL), region," said Ms Nakasagga.
As part of the
hydrological package, each of the NEL countries will receive water level
and rainfall sensors, data loggers, accessories necessary for
installation and rehabilitation of selected stations, equipment for
water discharge measurements and dual data transmission technology.
Each country will have the option to switch to either option for compliance with their national policy and country limitations.
National data
centres will be equipped and countries will also receive a toolkit for
water quality and sediment transport monitoring, accompanied with
training for national staff.
Information
products generated from data collected at the regional stations will be
considered as final information for decision making and member states
are putting in place a mechanism for sharing these.
Upon completion, the stations will be handed over to the countries for operation and maintenance.
Under the
initiative, Tanzania will get eight stations at Mara River, Grumeti
River, Ruvuvu River at Mumwendo Ferry, Mbarageti River, Duma River,
Kagera River at Kyaka Ferry, Mara River at Kogatende and Simiyu River at
Lumeiji.
As for Uganda, there will be 15 stations.
They will be at
Lake Victoria at Jinja pier, River Katonga, River Kagera at Masangano,
River Sio at Luhalali, River Bukora at Mutukula and Lake Kyoga at
Bugondo Pier.
Others are Victoria
Nile at Mbulamuti, River Malaba at Jinja, River Kyoga Nile at Masindi
Port, River Kyoga Nile at Paraa, Lake Edward at Katwe, Lake Albert at
Butiaba, River Semliki at Bweramule, Albert Nile at Laropi and at
Panyango.
Rwanda will be supported to have seven stations at Gakindo, Gihinga, Kagitumba, Ruliba, Rusumo, Shell and Akagera Outlet.
Kenya is to have
six stations at Nzoia, Yala, Nyando, Sondu Miriu, Gucha Migori and Mara.
While Burundi gets two stations on Ruvubu River at Gitega and Muyinga,
DRC will have a single station at the Semuliki River.
NELSAP is one of two investment programs under the NBI that is a partnership of the riparian states effective 1999.
It seeks to develop
the river in a cooperative manner, share substantial socioeconomic
benefits and promote regional peace and security through its shared
vision.
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