This document discusses water quality issues in the Niger River Basin. It notes that population growth and climate change have impacted surface and groundwater resources in the basin. The Niger Basin Authority is working to address water quality problems. A past study identified various sources of pollution throughout the basin from agriculture, industry, mining, sewage and other sources. The authority is developing a master plan for sustainable development and water quality monitoring is an important part of that plan. Donors have expressed interest in supporting efforts to improve water quality.

1. By M. Ould ALY OUMAR
Niger-HYCOS Project Coordonator
Niger Basin Authority, Niamey, NIGER
REPUBLIC

2. CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE NIGER BASIN AND SUB-REGIONAL
COOPERATION
3. RIVER NIGER HYDROLOGY
4. IMPACT OF CLIMATIC CHANGE ON HYDROLOGY
5. PROBLEMATIC OF WATER QUALITY
CONTROL WITHIN THE NIGER BASIN
5.1 THE ACTUAL SITUATION
5.2 THE WAYS FORWARD
6. CONCLUSION

3. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Since several years the Niger Basin is facing the
impacts of the climatic changes and the effect of
growing population. This affects the surface and
sub-surface waters. The concerned countries have
not sufficient means to control the situation except
at some urban and rural area.
The Niger Basin Authority in charge of the
managment of the water resources is looking
forward to solve the problem.

5. THE NIGER BASIN
• 9th largest world river
• 3rd largest river in Africa
• Theoretical Catchment
Area = 2 million km²
• Active Catchment Area =
1.5 million km²
• Length of the river =
4200 km
RIVERINE COUNTRIES
Algeria, (0.5), Bénin (2 %) Burkina (2%) Cameroun (4 %)
TChad (1 %) Cote D’Ivoire (1%) Guinée (6 %), Mali (25 %),
Niger (21 %) Nigeria ( 31.5 %); Population Over 100 Million
(1995);
Urban 32% Rural; 68% Growth Rate 3%: Per Capital; 400
USD/yr; Access to Potable Water 52%; Navigation: 3,500 km

7. - Established:1963 as River Niger Commission (RNC) by the 9
Countries namely, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Cote
D’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria
- Changed to NBA in 1980 with additional mandates
• THE MANDATES
- fostering cooperation among its members states.
- enhancement of integrated water resources management and
development
- ensure the integrated development of the basin in all fields
notably energy, water resources, agriculture, sylviculture,
transportation and communications, and industry.
• POLITICAL Structure
• Summit of Heads of State and Governments
• The Council of Ministers
• Technical Committee of Experts
• NBA Executive Secretariat

10. MAP SHOWING THE 4
SUB-BASINS

11. ISOYETAL MAP OF THE MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL

12. EVOLUTION OF RIVER NIGER FLOOD FLOW
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
1-juin9-sept18-déc28-mars06-juil14-oct22-janv02-mai10-août18-nov26-févr06-juin14-sept23-déc02-avr11-juil19-oct27-janv07-mai15-août23-nov03-mars
MONTHS
DISCHARGEM3/S
U
P
P
E
R
N
I
N
L
A
N
D
M
I
D
D
L
E
N
L
O
W
E
R
N
KOULIKORO
DIRE NIAMEY
JIDEREBODE
LOKOJA
MAKURDI
5470
2100
19101900
3610
19000
13000

13. Fig. 1: Comparative Hydrograph of River Niger at Koulikoro/ Hydrogrammes
Comparés du Fleuve Niger à Koulikoro (MALI)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
1-juin 3-juil. 4-août 5-sept. 7-oct. 8-nov. 10-déc. 11-janv. 12-févr. 16-mars 17-avr. 19-mai
Months/Mois
Discharges/Debits(m3/s)
2004/05
1994/95
2005/06
1984/85
1967/68
EXAMPLE OF THE UPPER NIGER BASIN
HYDROLOGY

14. Fig. 2: Comparative Hydrograph of River Niger at Dire/ Hydrogrammes Comparés du
Fleuve Niger à Diré (MALI)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1-juin 2-juil. 2-août 2-sept. 3-oct. 3-nov. 4-déc. 4-janv. 4-févr. 7-mars 7-avr. 8-mai
Months/Mois
Discharge/Debits(m3/s)
2005/06
2004/05
1994/95
1984/85
EXAMPLE OF THE INLAND DEL
BASIN
HYDROLOGY

15. Fig. 3: Comparative Hydrograph of River Niger at Niamey/ Hydrogrammes Comparés du
Fleuve Niger à Niamey (NIGER)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1-juin 3-juil. 4-août 5-sept. 7-oct. 8-nov. 10-déc. 11-janv. 12-févr. 16-mars 17-avr. 19-mai
Months/Mois
Discharges/Debits(m3/s)
2005/06
2004/05
1994/95
1984/85
1967/68
THE MIDDLE NIGER BASIN
HYDROLOGY

16. Fig. 4: COMPARATIVE HYDROGRAPHS OF R. NIGER AT LOKOJA: (NIGERIA)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
1-juin 3-juil. 4-août 5-sept. 7-oct. 8-nov. 10-déc. 11-janv. 12-févr. 16-mars 17-avr. 19-mai
Months
Discharge(m3/s)
2005/06
2004/05
1994/95
1984/85
THE LOWER NIGER BASIN
HYDROLOGY

18. ISOHETAL MAP SHOWING RAINFALL 200 TO 1000 mm
DECREASING IN THE RANGE OF 100 KM SOUTHWARDS
ISOHETAL MAP SHOWING RAINFALL 200 TO 1000 mm
DECREASING IN THE RANGE OF 100 KM SOUTHWARDS

19. FLOW FLUCTION FROM UPPER NIGER BASIN AT KOULIKORO, MALI
1950 2006
-1000
-800
-600
-400
-200
0
200
400
600
800
1000
50/51
52/53
54/55
56/57
58/59
60/61
62/63
64/65
66/67
68/69
70/71
72/73
74/75
76/77
78/79
80/81
82/83
84/85
86/87
88/89
90/91
92/93
94/95
96/97
98/99
00/01
YEARS
DISCHARGEVARIANCE(M3/S)

20. FLOW FLUCTION FROM MIDDLE NIGER BAS IN IN NIAMEY, NIGER
1950 2006
- 100
- 50
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
YEARS

21. Desertification Encroachment Sand Dune Formation In
Sahelian Region
Desertification Encroachment Sand Dune Formation In
Sahelian Region

22. RIVER NIGER
COMPLETELY
DRY IN 1985

23. AQUATIC WEED
ENCROACHMENT

24. EROSION AND
SILTATION
PROBLEMS

25. WATER
SHORTAGES

26. PROBLEMS OF
POLUTION

28. 5.1 ACTUAL SITUATION
Tne Niger Basin Authority with the World Bank support
engaged a consultanting mission in 2004-2005 with the
objectives to:
- Identify the major sources of pollution within the Basin;
- The nature of the pollution;
- Identify the national capacities in termes of Biological
and Micro-biological analysis in the NBA member
countries.

29. 5.1 ACTUAL SITUATION (CONt)
The consultant mission observed many sources of
pollution mainly:
• Agriculture
• Industries
• Livestock
• Garbages
• Mines
• Sewage
• Petrolum Explotation (in Nigeria)

30. Some exemple from the consultant mission report
Diamond exploitation at Kérouané
( Guinea)
Private exploitaion of Gold
(Mali)

31. Tannery (Niger) Abattoir (Mali)

32. Garbages (Bénin) Indutrial pollution (Niger)

34. The NBA has engaged since 2002 in a process of Share
Vision in view of a Sustainable Development of the
basin. One of the major result of this process is the
elaboration of a Master plan of the basin. This plan is
supported by several partners with the World Bank at
the head.
The knowledge on the basin’s water resources in terms
of quantity and quality constitute a fundamental element
of the Share Vision in the basin development. In this
perspectives Canada has already expressed it interest
to many of the Share Vision activities and programmes.

35. The improvement of water quality is a part of its
support to the NBA. In a pilot phase it has been
considered to:
1) Identify the high pollution risk zone sites of the
basin;
2) Evaluate the volume of contamination by toxic
substances; (effect on population by
consumption of fishes etc..)
This pilot phase will define great actions in
pollution control and countries building
capacities.

37. The progressive degradation of the Niger Basin
environnement constitutes a real preoccupation for the
NBA and its member countries. This is confirmed by a
recent consulting mission of evaluation of water quality.
In our ongoing process of Share Vision for a sustainable
development, the monitoring of waters in termes of
quality and quantity constitutes an important component
of the NBA Master Plan that which will be finilised in the
biginning of the year 2008. Some donors are fully
interested by this issue.