Rwanda has taken a significant step in bolstering its flood monitoring infrastructure by installing new water level monitoring stations on rivers and lakes across the Nile River Basin. This initiative, which involves 10 regional countries, aims to provide early warnings, fortify flood-resilient infrastructure, and facilitate the efficient management of shared water resources in the region.
The Nile River Basin, encompassing the catchment area of the Nile River and its tributaries, spans across Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Uganda, DR Congo, Eritrea, and Kenya.
Rwanda, located in the far southwest of the Nile Basin, boasts abundant water resources, amounting to an impressive five billion cubic meters.
Under the Nile Basin Initiative, a partnership among the riparian states of the River Nile to promote collaborative development and management of shared water resources, six hydrological monitoring stations have been installed in Rwanda. These stations play a crucial role in gathering essential data on the quantity of water and water levels in lakes and rivers.
Equipped with wave sensors, these monitors efficiently relay fluctuations in water levels every five minutes. Additionally, their water level and rainfall sensors are integrated with SIM cards, enabling the automatic transmission of real-time data to a central database, thereby enhancing flood prediction capabilities.
Remy Norbert Duhuze, the Manager of the Water Monitoring and Quality Control Division at the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB), emphasized the significance of the collected data in assisting the country’s planning for various projects, such as crop irrigation, electricity generation, early flood warnings, and the construction of resilient infrastructure.
These six stations have been strategically placed on rivers and lakes of transboundary significance, including Nyabarongo, Akagera, Akanyaru, Muvumba, Cyohoha, and Rweru lakes, which are all interconnected to the Nile River through different countries.
Furthermore, the network of water monitors will facilitate information sharing among the Nile Basin countries, promoting better coordination and collaboration in the region.
The monitoring stations will also play a pivotal role in supporting water quality and sediment monitoring in several rivers within the Nile River Basin in Rwanda.
Rwanda’s initiative aligns with the broader efforts in the region. Florence Grace Adongo, the Executive Director of Nile Basin Initiative, highlighted the completion of installation and testing of the stations in various Nile Basin countries, stressing their essential role in climate change adaptation projects. Over 80 stations are expected to be involved in these efforts, with the ultimate goal of better water resource planning and management at both national and regional levels.
In conclusion, Rwanda’s commitment to enhancing flood monitoring in the Nile Basin is a pivotal step towards efficient water resource management and climate change adaptation in the region.
