Data exchange in Transboundary Waters
0 likes99 views
The document discusses the necessity of cooperative management for transboundary waters, emphasizing the importance of data and information exchange for effective water management and benefit sharing among riparian countries. It outlines the project's goals to analyze data sharing practices and identify factors influencing these exchanges, with partners including organizations like IUCN and Northumbria University. Ongoing research aims to assess data exchange needs and formulate a strategic plan for the Omo-Turkana basin.
Data exchange in Transboundary Waters
- 1. Data Exchange in Transboundary Waters WLE FP4 Managing Resource Variability, Risk & Competing Uses Meeting Learnings for Research on System Transformation December 3, 2020 Patience Mukuyu (IWMI)
- 2. Project Rationale • Need for cooperative management of shared waters is widely recognized • 1997 UN Watercourse Convention • 1992 UNECE Water Convention, • SDGs • Data & information exchange a fundamental of cooperative water management Contributes to optimal management of trade-offs Provides a basis for benefit sharing Variability management and resilience Supports equitable and sustainable water use A way of building trust between riparian countries and long term commitment
- 3. What is the level of data exchange in shared waters? • Anecdotal evidence suggests that the quantity and quality of data exchanged is insufficient for effective management • Nonetheless, no systematic investigation undertaken • SDGs measure exchange, but there was ‘low bar’ • Variability in exchange according to diverse parameters was unexplored • Factors driving and constraining exchange • Understanding current levels of change, and factors that promote it, is key to improving conditions
- 4. Project Scope & Partners ➢ Facilitate a thorough and systematic analysis of the range and frequency of data sharing in transboundary waters, which can inform and enhance SDG reporting; ➢ Identify, evaluate and support the use of models of data and information exchange in shared waters that hold the greatest potential for achieving meaningful and sustainable use Partners: • IUCN-implements transboundary water projects • Northumbria University-manages SDG indicator 6.5.2 reporting • UNECE-developed revised Guidelines for Data Exchange in Transboundary Waters • IHE Delft / Blue Peace Index
- 5. Research in Year 1 How much data exchange in shared basins? Data category Parameters Hydrological (hydrometric) River discharges, river water levels, river flood peak discharges, river base flows, river sediment load, river water quality, lake/reservoir water levels, lake/reservoir volumes, lake/reservoir water temperature, lake/reservoir surface evaporation, volume of water imported/exported to/from basin Hydro morphological alterations Dams, weirs Future planned measures with transboundary impacts Infrastructure development Groundwater Groundwater levels and pressure, quality, aquifer yields and quality, estimate annual groundwater recharge, aquifer thickness, permeability and storage capacity Meteorological (and climatic) Sunshine/radiation hours, wind speed, air temperature, humidity, evaporation, precipitation, precipitation intensity Ecological (environmental) Minimum flow requirements, critical flow periods and demands, protected areas and water demands, protected areas and water demands, required water quality standards Water Quality Electrical conductivity, suspended sediment, nutrients, temperature, pH, oxygen Water Pollutants Concentrations of arsenic, bacteria, nitrogen, phosphorus, viruses, fertilizers, pesticides, algae, industrial waste, heavy metals Water abstraction Abstraction quantity (surface/groundwater), abstraction quality, return flow quality and quantity
- 6. Research Year 1 River flow data data Groundwater abstraction data
- 7. Uptake • Findings highlighted in the UNECE Water Convention background document on the Outlook for developing monitoring cooperation and exchange of data and information across borders • Utilized by the Blue Peace Index • Contributed to a MOOC led by IHE Delft and University Geneva on Water Cooperation and Diplomacy • Published in the journal Water International https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02 508060.2020.1850026
- 8. Ongoing and Future Work • Examining the degree to which needs drive exchange • Implementing data exchange needs assessment • Will use this work to formulate a plan for data exchange in Omo-Turkana Basin Photo credit: Mahesh Adams, IWMI