CONJUNCTIVE WATER USE AS A SOLUTION TO SUSTAINABLE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN LAKE CHAD BASIN, AFRICA

bySolomon A. Isiorho,

Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA

J. A. Oguntola and A. Olojoba Lake Chad Basin Commission, N’Djamena, Chad

Republic

Aim

• Examine water use in semi-arid region in developing nations

• Water water water

r

Talk Outline

• Introduction• Limiting Factors• Importance of Lake Chad• Current/ongoing studies• Possible Solutions• Conclusions

Introduction

L.ake Chad Basin

Study Area

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change

• Droughts

Limiting Factor: Drought

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change• Droughts

• Population

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change• Droughts• Population

• Conflicts

Limiting Factors: Conflicts

• Changing Shorelines• Flux in Boundary demarcation• Water rights

Limiting Factors: Conflicts

• Changing Shorelines• Flux in Boundary demarcation

• Water rights

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change• Droughts• Population• Conflicts

• None involvement of Stakeholders

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change• Droughts• Population• Conflicts• None involvement of Stakeholders

• Pollution

Limiting Factors

• Global Climate Change• Droughts• Population• Conflicts• None involvement of Stakeholders• Pollution

• Education

Importance of Lake Chad

• Political Boundary

• Provides Protein (Fish)

Importance of Lake Chad

• Political Boundary

• Provides Protein (Fish)

• Provides jobs

• Provides water

Importance of Lake Chad

• Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo appeals to the UN Development Programme and other international agencies for help in reversing the gradual recession and degradation of Lake Chad, once the world's sixth largest,

• "Your vision for the people of the Lake Chad basin must have at its core the security and well-being of the suffering masses as well as the unity of the member-nations,"

• In Abuja at the opening of the 47th session of the Lake Chad Basin Commission• Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000-0003bA-00 (Wednesday 8 March)

Current/ongoing studies

• Field-based Studies

Field-based Studies

• Hydrogeology– Wells– Geophysical method

Results/Discussions

• Hydrogeology

Results/Discussions

• Hydrogeology

Field-based Studies

• Hydrogeology– Wells– Geophysical method

• Remote Sensing/GIS– Shoreline monitoring– Lineaments– Inventory

Results/Discussions

• Remote Sensing

Results/Discussions

• Remote Sensing

Results/Discussions

• Remote Sensing

Chari Hydrograph at N’Djamena

• Years Max. Levels Max. discharge Total Annual» (cm) (cm3/s)

10 9m3• 1983/84 525 1912 16.54• 1984/85 302 779 6.72• 1985/86 565 2160 16.81• 1986/87 501 1770 15.17• 1987/88 416 1310 9.56• 1988/89 756 3460 28.34• 1989/90 489 1700 15.75• 1990/91 411 1290 11.48

• ___________________________________________________Flood peaks and flow volume of Chari River at N'Djamena (Irivboje, 1991)

• “As a result of persistent drought since the 1960s, the lake has shrunk to one-tenth of its size.”

•Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000-0003bA-00 (Wednesday 8 March)

Field-based Studies

• Hydrogeology– Wells– Geophysical method

• Remote Sensing/GIS– Shoreline monitoring– Lineaments– Inventory

• Water quality

Results/Discussions

• Water Chemistry

Possible Solution(s)

• Management strategy– interpretation and dissemination of

information– eliminate water wasting projects– involve stakeholders– conjunctive surface & ground water use

Possible Solution(s)

• Role of Lake Chad Basin Commission– coordinate data collection/management

• Members states of the commission, formed in 1964 to ensure optimal use of the lake basin's water resources, are Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

• The commission is also supposed to coordinate the planning and implementation of all regional projects of the lake basin, review complaints and help settle disputes.

Conclusions

• Sustainable economic development possible

• Hydrology– Conjunctive use of surface and ground

water

• Stakeholders– Involvement

• Education– A two-way process

Conclusions