Water-Resources Planning and Capacity Building in the Horn of Africa: Experiences in Ethiopia and Kenya

Monday, April 12, 2010: 11:45 a.m.
Continental C (Westin Tabor Center, Denver)
Eve L. Kuniansky , USGS, Norcross, GA
Patrick Tucci , retired USGS, Golden, CO
Most of the population in the Horn of Africa does not have access to adequate and safe water. In the arid lands of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, recurrent droughts and food shortages often result when rainfall is less than normal because of large dependence on surface water.  Groundwater is used for domestic and livestock in parts of the region, but groundwater is often of poor quality in the most arid areas. In pastoral and agro-pastoral areas, resolving water-resources problems is complex, involving not just engineered approaches, but also cultural and societal change.  In 2009, food shortages worsened as a result of continued drought. Over 24 million people face food shortages, mostly in eastern Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya.  As the competing demands for water increase, groundwater is needed to supplement surface-water sources. Assessing and understanding the coupled regional groundwater and surface-water systems is critical to conjunctively manage the available water, to anticipate and mitigate impacts of droughts and floods, and to reduce the risk of overexploiting water resources.  Since 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has worked on capacity-building programs in Ethiopia and Kenya. USGS has helped to develop regional groundwater-assessment proposals; developed the Ethiopian National Ground-Water Database (ENGDA) and associated standardized field forms; modified and updated ENGDA for use throughout the Horn of Africa; and developed and taught several training courses in groundwater field methods, using ENGDA, and groundwater modeling. Because the issues of water-resources planning and management are contentious, with societal and transboundary implications, building in-country capacity is needed, but is it possible in a timely manner?