Executive Summary

The Basin Water Resources Atlas rural population of the basin countries the equatorial region to the Mediterranean resources of the basin. The most significant has been prepared to support stakeholder increased between 1.5% and 3.0% (2005 – climate of the delta. The variations reflect aquifer is the Nubian Sandstone. Sediment dialogues and inform decision-making by 2015) while the urban population increased the latitude range, 4o S to 32o N and the production takes place in upland areas the riparian states in order to between 4.4% and 7.0% in the same period. altitude range; from sea level to more than with the Ethiopian Highlands as the main achieve the shared vision of “sustainable Poverty is widespread and by income, 3,000 m. The equatorial lakes region and source compared to other parts of the socio-economic development through the around 40% of the population of the basin southwestern have well dis- basin. Water quality is generally influenced equitable utilization and, benefit from, the countries live below a poverty line of USD tributed rainfall with an average annual by human activities and urban areas and common Nile Basin water resources”. 1.25 per day. rainfall of more than 1000 mm while industrial activities are the main influenc- and have negligible rainfall, ing factors. The basin is home to more than 257 million The high dependence on shared basin with an average annual rainfall below 50 people or around 20% of the population of water resources, which in large areas are mm. Combined with temperature ranges The water resources in the basin are the African continent. The water resources scarce, makes a fact-based management of 10 – 45oC, very little surface runoff is essential for sustaining life, the economy of the Nile Basin are of paramount impor- essential. Monitoring of water resources is generated here. Global warming is bringing and a healthy environment. Water is used tance for the socio-economy and sectors therefore done by all countries and there about changes in climate around the world. off-stream (withdrawn e.g. for agriculture such as agriculture, power, navigation, exist close to 1,000 rainfall stations and Trends and statistics have to be reviewed or domestic use), in-stream (e.g. hydropow- fisheries and water supply, sanitation and close to 450 streamflowgauging stations as even small changes in temperature aver- er, fisheries, environment) or on-stream health and the environment. across the basin countries. Technical and ages or extremes can have serious conse- (e.g. transport, tourism). By far, the largest financial resources are needed to operate quences for water resources and supplies, consumptive use is for (roughly The upper parts of the Nile Basin is char- the stations and get reliable data. In many agriculture, power and transportation 2600 m3/s) with Egypt and Sudan as the acterized by mountain ranges and steep countries the number of stations decreas- systems, the natural environment, and largest users. Water demand for municipal slopes. In the middle reaches there are es and the quality of the data is variable. even health and safety. and industrial use is rapidly increasing large plateau regions, while the lower parts The need for improvements have been from the present estimates of roughly 400 have wide flood plains and ultimately the recognized by the Nile Basin Initiative, The Nile Basin streamflow patterns are m3/s. Water demands for all sectors is ex- huge Nile Delta. The population’s settle- which has completed a design of a Nile influenced by the variations in climate and pected to increase substantially and there ment patterns are heavily influenced by the Basin Regional Hydromet System based topography/altitude. The is highly is a risk that the aggregate water demand availability of water and the infrastructure. on upgrading of existing stations adding seasonal with most of its flow occurring basin-wide can surpass available water will In the downstream countries, population is water quality monitoring and laboratory between July and September, while the become unable to meet the water demand. concentrated along the course of the River strengthening. Groundwater monitoring is White Nile flow is stable over the year. A high degree of trust, collaboration and Nile and in the Delta. The highest popu- generally very sparse. On the average, the Blue Nile contributes sharing of water and benefits between the lation densities in the upstream countries almost twice the volume of water (roughly Nile riparian nations becomes imperative are found in the Ethiopian Highlands and Climatically, the Nile Basin has large vari- 1600 m3/s) of the White Nile. Groundwater and the Nile Basin Initiative has a strategic in the Nile Equatorial Lakes Region. The ations ranging from the tropical climate in is another, though small part of the water mission to facilitate the cooperation. Photo: istock Photo:

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