Supraregional Africa: Sustainable Water Management of Lake Chad Basin
Country / Region: Africa / Supraregional
Focal point: Groundwater
Begin of project: April 16, 2007
End of project: June 30, 2011
Status of project: June 21, 2011
Watershed of Lake Chad
Source: BGR
The Lake Chad Basin
The Lake Chad basin is shared by Chad, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, Libya, and Sudan, and includes several transboundary rivers (Chari, Logone, Komandugu). Surface water availability is strongly affected by short- and long-term climatic conditions variability. In addition to the climatic factors, high population growth rate, the construction of dams, and the development of irrigated agriculture in the last four decades have caused the surface area of Lake Chad to shrink from 25.000 km² to 2.500 km² at present. Water scarcity and the reduction of fish stocks trigger food insecurity, migrations, social conflicts and poverty.
The Lake Chad Basin is also one of the largest sedimentary groundwater basins in Africa. It is composed of three main aquifers: the upper Quaternary, the Lower Pliocene and the ‘Continental Terminal’ (Oligocene – Miocene). Since the main source of aquifer recharge is from surface water, the aquifer system is also highly sensitive to climatic changes.
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC)
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) was created in 1964 with headquarters in N'Djamena. It has six country members: Chad, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and since April 2007, Libya. The commission is responsible for regulating and monitoring the use of water and other natural resources within the Lake Chad basin. However, the LCBC lacks basic information as well as management strategies to fulfil its tasks in a sustainable way. Despite these shortcomings, it is the sole institution with potential to deal with transboundary issues, as it is politically accepted by the riparian states.
Project’s Goal:
The project intends to strengthen the LCBC so that it is able to coordinate the exchange of groundwater data between the member states, integrate them in a management system and elaborate water resources strategies of sustainable character.
Activities of phase 1:
- Collecting and quality analysis of available data.
- Training of experts on collection, diagnostic and analysis of groundwater data.
- Developing a database for groundwater information.
- Compiling a hydrogeological map for the Chad Basin area.
- Establishing a unit responsible for evaluating and analysing data within the LCBC. The unit will be in charge of developing strategies of integrated water management within the Basin area.
Technical Cooperation with Supraregional Africa
Project-No.: 2007.2015.1
Project-ID: 1007
Project contributions:
Partner:
The Lake Chad Basin Commission, N'Djamena (Chad Republic)