INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

SYSTEM ANALYSIS TOOLS FOR RIVER WRM AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL

Amr AbdelMeguidProject Manager

CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ARAB REGION AND EUROPE

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Project Setting The “System Tools for River WRM at the District Level” Project,

is one of the demonstration projects within the REWARD Programme initiated by the DGCS/ WESCANA Project and supported by the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative (WANI), funded by DGIS/ The Netherlands.

Up-scaling of methodologies and insights, are realized through the sub-networks on different water resource systems of REWARD’s Regional Water Knowledge Network.

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Overview & Introduction• Egypt’s Area: 1million km2 - lies in North Africa -

Sinai Peninsula in the Northeast is in Asia• Population of Egypt : 80 millions,

living mostly in the Nile Valley

and Delta areas, i.e. less than

5% of the total area resulting in

a very high population density.

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WATER SCARCITY IN EGYPT • The annual per capita

share has reduced from more than 2500m3 (in 1950) to <900m3 in the year 2000, and further projected to fall to about 500 m3 by the year 2050

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MAJOR PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN THE PROJECT AREA

Background

• Poor livelihoods of rural households

• Poor agricultural productivity

• Inadequate water resources management (WRM)

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• Insufficient communication between stakeholders

• Lack of awareness

• Insufficient data sharing and coordination

• Weak monitoring systems

• Insufficient decision support mechanisms

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• Economic and financial sustainability • Improvement of irrigation and drainage

management and use-efficiency• Improvement and enhancement of

communication between key stakeholders• Empowerment of farmers

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PROJECT PARTNERS

CARE Egypt CEOSS

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PROJECT DONORS

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MAIN STAKEHOLDERS• Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation

(Irrigation Department)

• Ministry of Agriculture (Lands and Water department)

• Drinking water Authority

• Farmers and CDAs,

• Water users

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

• Security of poor people and their livelihoods enhanced through the demonstration and scaling-up of sustainable management of water resources and ecosystem services

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PROJECT GOAL

• Security of people and their livelihoods in Egypt enhanced through the demonstration and scaling up of sustainable management of water resources and ecosystem, through the adoption of System Analysis approach and tools in a coordinated fashion at different decision making levels.

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PROJECT AREA

Beni-Suef Governorate(Ehnasia district)46,500 feddans – population 250,000

Minia Governorate (Samallout district)86,000 feddans –Population 500,000

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PROJECT COMPONENTSStakeholder Facilitation and Baseline Conditions

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DSS DESCRIPTION

• A DSS is a common computer-based platform for communication, information management and analysis of water resources

• It provides a framework for:– Sharing knowledge– Understanding Irrigation system behavior– Evaluating alternative management strategies.

• Supporting decision making related to:– Water Management at District Level– Optimal Cropping Pattern

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• Optimize water management through the use of a mathematical model

• Provide district engineers and water distribution managers with tools to help them distribute water within equity principles.

• Help farmers utilize their lands specially at water shortage places and periods.

DSS OBJECTIVES

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DSS TOOLS

• Establish a monitoring network including inflows and outflows sites that will enable:

– Demand management– Water balance calculations

• Implement when necessary flow measurements, to support the water distribution to be based on flows rather than levels

• Socio-economic information.

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DSS COMPONENTS

• Data Base DB – Irrigation System related data– Crop pattern related data– GIS manages data stored at DB

• Model– No. of Sub-models for cause-effect relationship

• Knowledge base– Rules & procedures

• Man Machine Interface (GUI)– How user requests go to the DSS and DSS responses

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Expected Results

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Project Progress until now

Assessment of Prevailing Baseline conditions

• Identifying the stakeholders at National and Local Levels• Identifying stakeholders Needs• The local teams were trained on how to prepare the

problems trees• The local communities were trained on data collection

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Water Resources Model

The developed water balance model include the following:

• The system was initially designed to serve the operation at district level. The updated design allows multiple levels. The current design support operation at district, directorate and national levels.

• The flow equations for different irrigation structures were incorporated in system design.

• The system automatically calculates flows.• The system also includes inflow and outflow sites

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Water Resources Model

• The system provides customized reports.• The system includes information on available resources and current needs. • The system is generic that can be easily configured to work in other places.• The system allows manual data entry and/or automatic data entry which

could be collected from an automatic monitoring network.• The system has a friendly graphic user interface.• Possible system extension and future interfacing with other components is

also considered in the design.

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Early Warning System

• The Ehnasia drainage pumping station was selected to implement the Early Warning System at. With the support of the Ministry of water resources and irrigation, the system equipment was installed at the pumping stations. Site preparation work includes civil and steel works. The system measures water levels upstream and downstream the pumping station. The pump units status and operating hours are also recorded and transmitted to the irrigation office.

• Future work will include a software module to utilize the warning signals for management scenarios.

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Awareness and Capacity Building

• This component targets the awareness, and capacity building at different levels. This is an ongoing process throughout the project. Progress included major events;

• Awareness Seminar on Agricultural Practices to Rationalize Water Resources Use and Maximize Economic Benefits.

• Training courses on the operation of the water

balance Model.

• Training course on Introduction to GIS.

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Thank You