Development of Reliable Hydrologic Data Sets in Difficult Environments: Case Studies from Benin, West Africa

Reliable hydrologic data are critical for sound hydrogeologic analyses and for the subsequent policy decisions based on those analyses. Obtaining such data sets in the face of limited budgets and limited access to field sites can be a daunting challenge, particularly in rural regions in developing countries. Experience in Benin demonstrates that such challenges are best met through close collaboration with a number of in-country entities (universities, local populations, government agencies, and NGOs) and integration of hydrologic expertise with political, social, and cultural considerations.