United Republic of Tanzania Receives Eight Hydrological Monitoring Stations and Data Systems
With financing from the BMZ-EU (Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany and European Union), the Nile Basin Initiative in collaboration with Member States established the Nile Basin Regional Hydrological Monitoring System to address data and information needs in the basin. The aim of establishing and strengthening regional hydrological monitoring activities and applications is to support collaborative monitoring and generation of information products critical for transboundary cooperation and sustainable water resources management in the basin.
The establishment of the system was based on the Nile Basin Monitoring Strategy or 2010 and the design and implementation plan approved by the Nile Council of Ministers in its 23rd meeting on 4th June 2015, in Dodoma-Tanzania. This involved six (6) main components : (i) Updating the system design specifications and implementation plan, (ii) Civil works constructions to be undertaken by national/local contractors, (iii) Procurement of equipment for the regional stations, (iv) Installation of new equipment, (v) Upgrading National and Regional Data Centres, (vi) Capacity building for national staff to support the hydrometric system installation and operation, and (vii) Information products.
The Nile Basin hydrological monitoring system was implemented into two phases consisting of: Updating the design and implementation plan of the hydrological monitoring system based on field visits and National & Regional consultations, and Installation and operationalization of the Nile Basin Regional Hydrological Monitoring Network. The system leverages on the latest technological advancement to collect river flow, and lake water level information across 43 stations across the basin and telemetrically transmit the data and information via GSM and Satellite to the national data centres (9) and regional data centres (2) within the basin. This makes the water information easily available and accessible for data driven water resources management decisions in the basin.
As the project activities are now successfully completed including the Hydromet equipment installation at stations and data management system configuration in Member States like Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda. NBI has successfully handover the upgraded and established monitoring system to the Government in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda. Sudan, DR Congo and Ethiopia are still incomplete.
On 4th and 6th of March 2025 at Kyaka Ferry and Dodoma respectively the Nile Basin Initiative Executive Director Dr. Florence Grace Adongo together with the experts from the secretariat handed over eight (8) state of the art Regional hydrological stations and data management systems to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water, Eng. Mwajuma Waziri at the Ministry of Water in United Republic of Tanzania. She appreciated and commended NBI for playing a pivotal role in spearheading such collaborative Projects that address transboundary water resource challenges and for the enhancement of the capacity of the national expert in water resources monitoring, planning and management
The Field Handover Bukoba – Kagera River at Kyka Hydrological Station on 4th March with the District Commissioner of Misenyi District as the Guest representing Provincial Commissioner Kagera Region, Hon Fatma Mwasa, Dr. Renatus Shinhu, Basin Director, Lake Victoria Basin Water Bordand Nile Basin (LVBWB) and Dr. Michael Kizza Deputy Director Nile Basin Initiative, in the presence of the community of Kyaka.
“Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Kagera Mhe Fatma Mwasa amezindua vituo 8 vya kupima mwenendo wa maji Mitoni, hafla iliyofanyika Kyaka Ferry, Wilaya ya Misenyi tarehe 04 Machi 2025. Akizindua vituo hivyo kwa niaba ya Mkuu wa Mkoa, Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Miseny, mhe Kanali Hamisi Maiga amewashukuru usaidizi wa Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) na fathdil ikiwemo European Union (EU) na German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development”.
In Dodoma, the 8 hydrological stations and data management system were handed over to the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Water represented by Permanent Secretary Eng. Mwajuma. The eight newly installed hydrological monitoring stations are strategically located at key locations namely Mara River at Kogatende, Nyansurura, Grumeti River and Mbalageti River at Ndabaka others are Kasharazi, Kagera River at Kyaka Ferry and Simiyi River at Lumeji.
Engineer Mwajuma Waziri emphasised the importance of maintaining the newly established stations and mandated the Lake Victoria water board Director Mr. Renatus Shinhu to ensure that the facilities are adequately maintained.
Dr. Florence Grace Adongo handed over both soft and hard copies of the relevant project documents with the National Hydrological Service (NHS): Stations sourcebook, stations drawings, bench testing protocol, Operation & Maintenance manuals, Data Management System (DMS) manuals, Sustainability Plan document and NBI Knowledge/promotional products i.e. the released NBI wetlands Atlas. She emphasized the need for continuous knowledge and data sharing among member states through peer-peer learning and thanked different partners like the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), ICPAC, LVBC for working closely with NBI in strengthening the collaborative efforts of addressing the existing climate change challenges and other stakeholders who witnessed the handover ceremony like the media fraternity.