dws-acacia-uganda-catchment-maps-770px
A team of Dutch consultancy firm Acacia Water started a first exploration of the catchments in the Lokok and Lokere river basins in north-eastern Uganda.

The exploration is part of a project to increase the resiliency of the local community against droughts and floods, by improved integrated catchment management.

Acacia Water, together with other Dutch organisations Cordaid, Rain Foundation and Wetlands International, has been asked to join the project by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ)

dws-acacia-uganda-catchment-handpump-350pxLocal water demand, such as at this hand pump, is part of the integrated catchment management.

Central database on all water resources
Acacia Water examines the biophysical landscape characteristics, the characteristics of the existing water resources and the demand for water and summarizes the knowledge in a central database and in maps of the area of the rivers Lokok and Lokere.

These products form an important basis for the development of different interventions and management strategies.

Upstream droughts, downstream floods
The rivers run from extremely arid areas into the marshes downstream. The region is characterized by drought, floods, diseases, poverty and conflict.

The precipitation is drained very rapidly in the north, resulting in drought in the north and floods in the south.

As a result, the local population is very vulnerable to natural disasters. There are currently no long-term programs for sustainable water management.

dws-acacia-uganda-catchment-community-350pxMeeting with local county officers.

Involvement of local authorities
Central to the project is the preparation of catchment management plans in close cooperation with local authorities.

Water retention in upstream areas and sustainable management of wetlands will play an important role.

Local catchment management organizations will be established to carry out the plans.

Stakeholders are actively Involved in the process for possible solutions. Especially the local governments play an important role.

This news item was originally published on the website of Acacia Water.

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Country: Uganda

More information
Acacia Water
Gouda, the Netherlands
+31 182 686 424
www.acaciawater.com