The document discusses the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer System (IAS) shared by Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. It notes key issues facing sustainable management of the system's groundwater resources, including increasing water demand, climate change, land degradation, and lack of cooperation between countries. The project aims to establish capacity for identifying, reducing, and mitigating transboundary risks. It has made progress in developing shared maps and databases, modeling groundwater flow and interactions, and creating consultative mechanisms. Key ongoing challenges include further quantifying and analyzing transboundary risks, addressing lack of data through capacity building, rational joint management of surface and groundwater, and implementing cooperative management frameworks.

1. IAEA/GE
F IW
Managing transboundary Risks inManaging transboundary Risks in
the Iullemeden Aquifer Systemthe Iullemeden Aquifer System
IAEA/GEF IW Learn /USGS Exchange
(study tour)
on Good Practices in Ground Water Resources Assessment,
Management, and Public Participation
USA, April 16-26th, 2006USA, April 16-26th, 2006

2. IAEA/GE
F IW
GEOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

3. IAEA/GE
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•Countries : Mali, Niger, Nigeria
Aquifers :
• Cretaceous Intercalary
Continental
• Tertiary Terminal Continental
• > 2000 billion m3
Niger river :
• 30 billion m3
per year
Area : 525 000 km²
•Mali : 31000 km² (6%)
•Niger : 434000 km² (83%)
•Nigeria : 60000 km² (11%).
Population :
• 15 million (2000)
• 28 million (2025)
IAS OVERVIEW

4. IAEA/GE
F IW
NATURAL RESOURCES
Non renewable Groundwater > 2000 billion m3
Surface water (Niger river) : 30 billion m3
/y
« W » National parc (Niger Republic)
160 billion m3
/y to Atlantic ocean
Fisheries > 200 species
Livestock > 4 million cattle
Irrigation land > 300 000 ha
Renewable Groundwater > 2 billion m3

5. IAEA/GE
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SHARED IAS ISSUES
•Increased water demand because of
growing population : 15 millions in 2000,
double in 2025
•Climate Change/Variability  Droughts,
Floods
•Decreased groundwater recharge rate
•Land degradation 100 000 ha/year
•Silting : river, lake, pools  flood
•Deforestation > 1 million ton firewood

6. IAEA/GE
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SHARED IAS ISSUES
• Lack of exchange information between
countries sharing and exploiting the
same resource
• Lack of cooperation on aquifers
although existing basins Authorities in
the region : NBA, LGA, etc…
• Aquifers only studied in the limits of
the national borders

7. IAEA/GE
F IW
Within the goal of sustainable :
•environmental protection and sub-
regional and national development
•cooperative framework for joint
management of risk and uncertainty
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To establish the capacity, to identify,
reduce and mitigate transboundary
risks from changing land and water use
and from climate change in the shared
Iullemeden Aquifer System

8. IAEA/GE
F IW
PROJECT OUTCOMES
•Joint mechanisms for identification of
transboundary risk issues in the IAS;
•A joint development and conservation
strategy for the IAS;
•A joint tripartite legal and institutional
cooperative framework for the IAS;
•Joint programmes for awareness,
participation and inter-governmental
communication.

9. IAEA/GE
F IW
IAS PROJECT COMPONENTS
•Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis ;
•Strengthening the State of knowledge
of IAS;
•Awareness, Participation, Capacity
Building;
•Consultative Mechanism;

10. IAEA/GE
F IW
STEERING COMMITTEE
(Periodic control and Evaluation)
Countries : Partners :
DNH - Mali - UNEP/GEF
DRE/MHE/LCD - Niger - IAEA - ESA - IRD
DHH/FWRM - Nigeria - FAO - IGRAC - GTZ
STEERING COMMITTEE
(Periodic control and Evaluation)
Countries : Partners :
DNH - Mali - UNEP/GEF
DRE/MHE/LCD - Niger - IAEA - ESA - IRD
DHH/FWRM - Nigeria - FAO - IGRAC - GTZ
IAS Project
- OSS : Implementing Agency
- UNESCO : Scientific supervision
IAS Project
- OSS : Implementing Agency
- UNESCO : Scientific supervision
National Teams
National Coordinator
National Focal Point
National Coordination
Committee
National Teams
National Coordinator
National Focal Point
National Coordination
Committee
Scientific Audit
Scientific Evaluation
Validation of final reports
Scientific Audit
Scientific Evaluation
Validation of final reports
Experts
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
Consultative Mechanism
Recharge
Modelling
Remote Sensing
Experts
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
Consultative Mechanism
Recharge
Modelling
Remote Sensing
PROJECT STRUCTURE

11. IAEA/GE
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•TDA (Mali, Niger and Nigeria)  3 major
transboundary risks :
ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR :
• Common digitalized maps (Topography &
Geology) for a further risks analysis;
• Land cover maps, DEM, Water balance;
• Database (>17000 boreholes), GIS, Model;
• Legal and consultative mechanism;
1. Modification of Water availability
2. Degradation of Water Quality,
3. Climate Change/Variability (impacts);

12. IAEA/GE
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PARTIAL CAUSAL CHAIN ANALYSIS
IMMEDIATE CAUSES
TRANSBOUNDARY
ISSUES
UNDERLYING
CAUSES
IMPACTS
ROOT CAUSES
•Climatic changes,
(reduced rainfall and
runoff)
•Recurrent droughts
•Reduced
connexion between
surface water and
groundwater
because of silting,
sand dunes
established
Groundwater
resources scarcity
•Increase in water
demand (growth
population, mining
and agricultural
activities)
•Inadequate water
infrastructure
•Reduced
groundwater
recharge
•Decline of artesian
water pressure
•Reduced
renewable
groundwater
resource
•Alternative water
resources
•Increasing
population
•Deficient political
and legal practical
framework
•Inadequate basin
awareness
•Insufficient
knowledge and
participation in
sustainable water
resource
management
•Lack of
consultative
mechanism in
groundwater
resources
management
although several
Basin Authorities
•Deficiency in
application of law
•Lack of exchange
of information
High concentration
of fluoride, nitrates
Groundwater
quality degradation
•Pollution by urban,
industrial and mining
activities
•Agricultural
activities (pesticides,
manures)
•Land use and
inadequate change
in land use
•Soil Salinisation
•Less production in
agriculture
•Diseases
•Alternative water
resources

13. IAEA/GE
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TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUES & MANIFESTATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES
EFFECTS & SYMPTOMS
TRANSBOUNDARY
MANIFESTATIONS
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
Groundwater resources
scarcity
•Increase of percentage of
population without access
of drinking water
•Less agriculture (reduced
area under irrigation)
•Transfer water (big
towns, mining areas)
•Transboundary migration
of the population
increasing water demand
in the new habitat
•Increase potential
conflicts between farmers
and pastoralists using the
same water point (well,
dug well, boreholes)
•Sustainable and jointly
development of water
resources
•Operational consultative
mechanism of water
resource management
(exchange data,
groundwater exploitation
modelling, ) to alert water
scarcity
Groundwater quality
degradation •Change option in water
demand (fluoride)
•Less production of
agriculture
•Sanitation issues
(diseases)
•More importation of food
•Change option of water
use
•Transport pollutions with
effects on human
population, ecosystem.
•Transport of diseases
•Prevention and control of
risk pollution
•“Pollutant-Payer”, taxes
•Operational legal
framework

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Impacts of variability & climate change
Variation pluviométrique de la Guinée (1931-2000)
-1,5
-1
-0,5
0
0,5
1
1,5
1931 1938 1945 1952 1959 1966 1973 1980 1987 1994 années
stDev Série1
Moy. mobile sur 5 pér.
(Série1)
ATTENTION ! La pluviométrie baisse
Index de pluie annuelle à Bamako
-2,5
-2
-1,5
-1
-0,5
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Cumulstandardisé
Variabilité de la Pluviométrie Annuelle à Niamey : Ecart à la Moyenne (mm)
-400
-300
-200
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
Ecart(mm)
Ecart / Moyenne (563 mm)
Evolution des Débits annuels : Ecart à la Moyenne
-500
-400
-300
-200
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
Ecart(m3/s)
Ecart / Moyenne (864 m3/s)
-4,00
-3,00
-2,00
-1,00
0,00
1,00
2,00
3,00
4,00
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
Ecr (Pluie)
Ecr (Débit)
CumulEcr.-Piézo.
2
5
8
11
14
17
20
23
13/07/1990
13/10/1990
13/01/1991
13/04/1991
13/07/1991
13/10/1991
13/01/1992
13/04/1992
13/07/1992
13/10/1992
13/01/1993
13/04/1993
13/07/1993
13/10/1993
13/01/1994
13/04/1994
13/07/1994
13/10/1994
13/01/1995
13/04/1995
13/07/1995
13/10/1995
13/01/1996
13/04/1996
13/07/1996
13/10/1996
13/01/1997
13/04/1997
13/07/1997
13/10/1997
13/01/1998
13/04/1998
13/07/1998
13/10/1998
13/01/1999
13/04/1999
13/07/1999
13/10/1999
13/01/2000
13/04/2000
13/07/2000
NigerMaliGuinée

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Erosion and silting in Niger river
Development
of sand dunes
IMMEDIATE CAUSE : CLIMATIC CHANGE

16. IAEA/GE
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UNDERLYING CAUSE : Water pollution

17. IAEA/GE
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IMMEDIATE CAUSE : FLUORIDE (>6mg/l)
Bony Fluorosis
Apatite in Intercalary Continental aquifer:
Ca5
(PO4
)3
(OH, F, Cl)
More than 300 victims mainly children incurably deformed

18. IAEA/GE
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COMMON DIGITALIZED GEOLOGICAL MAP

19. IAEA/GE
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IAS DATABASEIAS DATABASE
17000 points
d’eau inventoriés

20. IAEA/GE
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1940-19501940-1950 1950-19601950-1960 1960-19701960-1970 1970-19801970-1980
1980-19901980-1990 1990-20001990-2000 2000-20072000-2007
EVOLUTION OF WATER POINTS 1940  2007
> 17000 water points

21. IAEA/GE
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IAS GEOMETRYIAS GEOMETRY

22. IAEA/GE
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Dynamic linkage between Database,
GIS and Model (PM5) to facilitate
data transfer
INTERFACE DA-GIS-MODELINTERFACE DA-GIS-MODEL

23. IAEA/GE
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CI & CT MODELING: Boundary limits
Continental intercalaire Continental Terminal
1. Groundwater assessment
2. Groundwater-Surface water
interactions
3. Assessment of the impact of
climate variability

24. IAEA/GE
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Continental intercalaire
Continental Terminal
1. Groundwater flow:
NIGER & MALI NIGERIA
2. Groundwater-Surface
water interactions
PIEZOMETRY of Ci & CTPIEZOMETRY of Ci & CT

25. IAEA/GE
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IAS MODEL : Water Balance
CONTINENTAL TERMINAL
INPUT (m3/s) OUTPUT (m3/s)
Recharge 3,294 Niger River 2,509
Leakance from Ci 0,016 Dallols 0,423
Goulbi Rima River 0,378
Total Input (CT) 3,31 Total Output (CT) 3,31
CONTINENTAL INTERCALAIRE
INPUT (m3/s) OUTPUT (m3/s)
Recharge 0,548 Niger River 1,468
North part supply 0,288 Leakance to CT 0,016
Goulbi Rima River 0,648
Total Input (Ci) 1,484 Total Output (CT) 1,484

26. IAEA/GE
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IAS MODEL : System flow
Ci
CT
N
iger
Rima
Ci
CT
Recharge
Niger

27. IAEA/GE
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Evolution of water abstraction IAS
Since 1995, Abstractions exceed Recharge (red line)

28. IAEA/GE
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Applied Isotopes Techniques

29. IAEA/GE
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REMOTE SENSING : PILOT SITES

30. IAEA/GE
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ESA Tiger Initiative (NWSAS & IAS)
 Elaboration of land cover maps and Digital
Elevation Models (DEM)
 Estimation of water abstraction for irrigation
 Estimation of water requirements for crops
 Water Balance
 Capacity building : national workshops in
NWSAS & IAS
AQUIFER Project

31. IAEA/GE
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CONSULTATIVE MECHANISM

32. IAEA/GE
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COMITE DE PILOTAGE
(Niveau Politique)
SECRETAIRE
Facilitateur)
MALI
Comité Technique
NIGER
Comité Technique
NIGERIA
Comté Technique
STEERING COMMITTE
(Political level)
SECRETARY
Facilitator)
MALI
Technical Committee
NIGER
Technical Committee
NIGERIA
Technical Committee
TEMPORAL CONSULTATIVE MECHANISM

33. IAEA/GE
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Maintenance of Database;
coordination national committee
activities ; preparation of
decisions to the Steering
committee
MALI
Technical
Committee
NIGER
Technical Committee
NIGERIA
Technical
Committee
STEERING COMMITTEE
(Political Level)
PERMANENT CONSULTATIVE MECHANISM

34. IAEA/GE
F IW
•Quantification and Analysis of
Transboundary risks in IAS (TDA  SAP ;
Modeling)
•Addressing lack of data/information :
A need for country capacity building
•Rational management of surface
water and groundwater ; and
•Implementing consultative mechanism
for cooperation and coordination.
CHALLENGES

35. IAEA/GE
F IW
THANKS