Access to adequate and safe supplies of water of poor people is a major problem in developing countries, affecting health, food supply, and security. A growing world population has increased the demand for water, while water resources remain limited. Currently, millions of people in developing countries are lacking a potable water supply and scientific information needed to assess and manage their water resources.   To remediate these conditions, a sound monitoring infrastructure and management strategy are needed to assess, understand, and manage water resources. The development of famine early warning systems have inspired the innovative use of remote sensing, numerical modeling, geographic information systems, and decision support system for enhancing traditional methods of monitoring, and water-resources assessments and management.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a fact-finding agency that collects and analyzes data, providing both scientific understanding about natural resources and impartial multi-disciplinary science.   Its science has been crucial to the quest for sustainable and safe drinking water supplies and the development of sound environmental and water-resources management policies. As part of its international mission, the USGS engages in numerous partnership efforts to improve the understanding and wise management of water resources throughout the world. These efforts range from performing basic water-resources assessments and use of standard tools to applying state-of-the-art modular modeling tools and creating decision support systems.  Activities include exchanging scientists to study problems of mutual interest; improving the scientific basis for managing natural resources; and providing technology transfer and encouraging capacity building in developing nations. Recently, the USGS has cooperated with local, regional, and national agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) such as the United Nations in Afghanistan, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Cape Verde, and Honduras using variable approaches depending on country and agency or NGO needs/mission.