The document discusses risk management in the Iullemeden Aquifer System (IAS), which underlies parts of Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. It outlines the goals of establishing mechanisms for identifying transboundary risks, developing a joint management strategy, and creating a legal framework for cooperation between the three countries. Key risks identified include increasing water demand, climate change, land degradation, and a lack of information sharing. The project aims to facilitate cooperation through activities such as a transboundary risk analysis, strengthening scientific understanding of the aquifer, and building awareness of sustainable management.

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4th WORLD WATER FORUM
Risk Management in the
Iullemeden Aquifer System
Mexico, Marsh 17th, 2006

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GEOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

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

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

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SHARED IAS ISSUES
•Increased water demand because of
growing population : 15 millions in 2000,
double in 2025
•Climate change
•Decreased groundwater recharge rate
•Land degradation 100 000 ha/year
•Deforestation > 1 million ton firewood
•Silting : river, lake, pools

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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 Basins Authorities exit in the
region : NBA, LGA, etc…
• Aquifers only studied in the limits of
the national borders

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GENERAL OBJECTIVE
Within the goal of sustainable :
•environmental protection and sub-regional
and national development
•cooperative framework for joint
management of risk and uncertainty
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

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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.

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IAS PROJECT COMPONENTS
•Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis ;
•Strengthening the State of knowledge
of IAS;
•Consultative Mechanism;
•Awareness, Participation, Capacity
Building;

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PROJECT STRUCTURE
STEERING COMMITTEE
(Periodic control and Evaluation)
STEERING COMMITTEE
(Periodic control and Evaluation)
Countries : Partners :
DNH - Mali - UEP/GEF
DRE/MHE/LCD - Niger - IAEA - ESA - IRD
DHH/FWRM - Nigeria - FAO - IGRAC - GTZ
Countries : Partners :
DNH - Mali - UEP/GEF
DRE/MHE/LCD - Niger - IAEA - ESA - IRD
DHH/FWRM - Nigeria - FAO - IGRAC - GTZ
OSS
OSS
Implementation Agency
Implementation Agency
IAS Project
IAS Project
Scientific Supervision
- Coordination and Technical Management
- Regional Coordination
- Scientific Control
- Coordination and Technical Management
- Regional Coordination
- Scientific Control
National Teams
National Teams
National Coordinator
National Focal Point
National Coordination
Committee
National Coordinator
National Focal Point
National Coordination
Committee
Scientific Audit
Scientific Audit
Scientific Evaluation
Validation of final reports
Scientific Evaluation
Validation of final reports
Experts
Experts
Transboundary Diagnostic
Analysis
Consultative Mechanism
Recharge
Modelling
Remote Sensing
Transboundary Diagnostic
Analysis
Consultative Mechanism
Recharge
Modelling
Remote Sensing
UNESCO
UNESCO
Scientific Supervision

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ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR :
• Three national reports for TDA (Mali, Niger
and Nigeria) for further IAS wide analysis
(under implementation) ;
• Common digitalized maps for a further
hydrogeological risks analysis;
• Analysis of information/data availability in
support of cooperation among countries;
• Legal and consultative mechanism ;
• Management tool development (database)

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RISKS IDENTIFIED
RISKS
Mali Niger Nigeria
H = High Risk M = Medium Risk W = Weak Risk
Mean
value
Lack of knowledge of groundwater flow patterns H M H H
Lack of knowledge of Surface Water and
Groundwater connexion H H H H
Basin Awareness H H H H
Climatic changes : floods, droughts H H H H
Deforestation H H H H
Groundwater exploitation W W M W
Decline of Artesianism uncontrolled M H H H
Water pollution H H H H
Soil salinisation M M W M
Inadequate groundwater network H M H H
Non consultative groundwater Exploitation H H H H

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PARTIAL CAUSAL CHAIN ANALYSIS
DIRECT CAUSES
(Natural origin)
ENVIRONMEN
TAL
ISSUES
DIRECT CAUSES
(Human origin)
IMPACTS COMMON BASIC
CAUSES
·Climatic changes,
(reduced rainfall and
runoff)
·Frequent 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
·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
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 Salinization
·Less production in
agriculture
·Diseases
Climatic change:
droughts,
desertification,
establishment of
sand dunes
Loss of
Biodiversity
and Biotic
resources
·Deforestation (firewood)
·Uncontrolled hunting
activities
·Clearing of land for
agriculture
·Migration of the population
from deserted zone to
wetlands
·Land use and inadequate
change in land use
·Employment
(firewood)
·Reduced tourism
·Increase water
erosion

14. ENVIRON. ISSUES & TRANSBOUNDARY MANIFESTATIONS
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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
Loss of Biodiversity
and Biotic
resources
·Reduced wildlife populations
of flora and fauna
·Reduced biological properties
of the soil (fertilisation)
·Increase of denuded areas
and loss of wetlands
·Increase of water erosion, and
sand dunes establishment
·Migration of fauna and flora
to wetland and peaceful
zones
·Migration of the population
including diseases
migration, destruction of
new humid habitat
·Migration and increase
potential conflicts between
farmers and pastoralists
·Strengthening public
awareness in support of
decision-making processes;
·Environmental education
for civil society
·“Pollutant-Payer”, taxes

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DIRECT NATURAL CAUSE : CLIMATIC CHANGE
Sliding of isohyets southwards by 100 km:
decrease of 20%- 30% of the rainfall

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

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Evolution des Débits annuels : Ecart à la Moyenne
600
500
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 (m3/s)
Ecart / Moyenne (864 m3/s)
Reduced Niger river
runoff at Niamey :
36,2%
CLIMATIC IMPACTS

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4,00
3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00
-1,00
-2,00
-3,00
-4,00
CLIMATIC IMPACTS
Reduction of groundwater recharge
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
Ecr (Pluie)
Ecr (Débit)
Cumul Ecr.-Piézo.
(R. Dessouassi et G. Mahé , 1997)

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DIRECT HUMAN CAUSE

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DIRECT NATURAL CAUSE : FLUORIDE (6mg/l)
Bony Fluorosis
Apatite :
Ca5(PO4)3 (OH, F, Cl)
More than 300 victims mainly children incurably deformed

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TEMPORAL CONSULTATIVE MECHANISM
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

22. PERMANENT CONSULTATIVE MECHANISM
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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)

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Groundwater
COMMON DATABASE
Surface Water Climatology
Administrative Domains
Users

24. COMMON DIGITALIZED GEOLOGICAL MAP
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REMOTE SENSING : PILOT SITES

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CHALLENGES
• Definition, Quantification and
Analysis of Transboundary risks in IAS
• Addressing lack of
data/information : A need for
country capacity building ;
• Rational management of surface
water and groundwater ; and
• “ Implementable “ consultative
mechanism for cooperation and
coordination.

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END