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Cubango-Okavango River Basin Environmental Monitoring Framework

GEF/UNDP Okavango River Basin

Por IW:LEARN

22 de June de 2019

The Cubango-Okavango River Basin is one of the world’s relatively undisturbed trans-boundary basins, with unique hydrological and ecological features. It is endowed with a diverse natural resources base that supports livelihoods of an estimated 1,200,000 poverty-stricken population. Although the basin is still ecologically and environmentally healthy, a recent Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) which informed the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) Strategic Action Programme (SAP) identified the following concerns:

variation and reduction of hydrological flow,
changes in sediment dynamics,
changes in water quality and
changes in the abundance and distribution of biota.

To address these concerns the Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission (OKACOM), the organisation that provides technical advice to the member states, is implementing its SAP through a number of project-based interventions. One of these projects includes the Support to Cubango-Okavango Strategic Action Programme (SAP) Implementation, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and co-financed by OKACOM parties.

As part of the support to the SAP Implementation Project, OKACOM is guiding member states to ensure sustainable management of transboundary water resources among other equally important thematic areas as outlined in its SAP. In response to the water resources management challenges, OKACOM conducted three joint water quality and quantity surveys in July 2018 (high flows), November 2018 (low flows) and May 2019 (high flows), all with support from the UNDP-GEF funded project. The results of the joint surveys will be used to provide baseline data that will inform the development of a comprehensive Monitoring Framework to the CORB and associated thematic monitoring plans. These surveys were motivated by several threats to the quality of water in the CORB, which includes poor waste management in rural and urban centres.

Cubango-Okavango River Basin Environmental Monitoring Framework

The main objective of the surveys were to establish the baseline water quality in the basin using selected parameters, as well as determine baselines in water flows in dry and wet seasons. Selected water quality parameters included pH, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrates, Phosphates and Chlorophyll-a.

Interestingly, despite all the threats to the quality of water within the basin, the surey results revealed that the water quality within the basin is in good standing. The results of the joint surveys resonated well with monitoring results from previous monitoring initiatives which also reported desirable quality of water within the basin except in very few localised areas, in particular the Boro River which is an outlet channel from the Okavango Delta.

The results demonstrated that the water quality declined slightly from the upper part of the catchment to the lower part although parameters still remained within the desired ranges. In addition to the interesting result, one main outcome was that for the first time member states managed to assemble a team of technical experts (Water Resources Technical Committee – WRTC) who jointly conducted the water quality survey.

The three joint monitoring surveys generated useful data and information that will adequately inform the development of a comprehensive basin-wide environmental monitoring framework for the CORB. Furthermore, these joint surveys successfully built significant member states capacity to measure important water quality parameters, as well measurement of hydrological flows using an Acustic Doppler Curent Profiler (ADCP). It is also worth noting the trust and transparency among members of the WRTC who are now able to freely share information. Effective sharing of information and visits to various parts of the basin also cleared the long standing misconception among down stream communities who always attributed low flows to dams in the upper catchment despite the lack of dams in that part of the catchment.