SHARING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE ON WATER:

Groundwater Examples

International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre

Slavek Vasak & Jac van der GunInternational Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre,

Utrecht, The Netherlandswww.igrac.nl

Presentation financially supported by The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Workshop on International Scientific and Technological Co-operation for Sustainable Development, 21-22 November 2005, Pilanesberg, South Africa

Contents1. Introduction

• Data, information & knowledge in IWRM• “Tulip” case

2. Information management• Concept • Various levels

3. IGRAC example• Organisation and activities• Special projects

4. Information sharing• Elements and tools• Conclusions

IWRM Concept

“IWRM Integrates science-based understanding of the natural controls on water quantity and quality with appropriate and effective human technologies and actions”

Source: Global Water for Sustainability, USAID,2005

Introduction

Data, Information & KnowledgeDefinition is subject to (academic) discussion• Data: Measured values • Information: Interpreted data, answers “who”, “what”, ”where”

and “when” questions• Knowledge: Application of information; answers “how”

questions (Ackoff, 1989)

yet a clear demarcation is essential for acquisition, management and sharing

• Data: costly, time consuming, large database systems required; often subject to confidentiality or a price

• Information: interpretation skills and techniques required, GIS; more easily exchangeable

• Knowledge: understanding, analogies, papers& workshops, no obstacles for exchange (benefit for all)

Introduction

Data & Information: For Whom ?Access to data and information should be customized to the needs of stakeholder:Water specialists: prefer “raw” data in own discipline; are interested in information sources and interpretation techniques; “technical” users looking for “quantitative” information and making their own statistics.

Decision makers: need information that combined various aspects of water necessary to support e.g. regulatory and public health decisions; prefer maps and graphs showing spatial relationships.

Public: interested in “easily” understandable information without technical details, usually on a local or regional scale.

Introduction

Role of Information in IWRMInformation is required for:

• Defining location and properties of water resources • Understanding the dynamics of the water systems• Optimizing the exploitation of the resources• Forecast temporal and spatial changes of water

conditions

Information provides a basis for measures set upduring the CSD 13 meeting for finding technical andsocio-economical solutions of water-related problems

Introduction

“Tulip” Case

Annual turnover from “bulb” production in Holland: EURO 1,5 billion

A rise of groundwater by 5 cm: Production reduced by 10 %

Potential reduction of income: EURO 150 million

Key management issue: Understanding groundwater level changes

Introduction

Tulip Case: Information from Data

Introduction

Well #: B31C019001

KNMI Station: De Bilt

Records updated until:

21-7-005

Looking to the future by learning from the past:Statistical analyses of long term groundwater level records

Explaining natural (seasonal) variation:Rainfall – evapotranspirationdata

Source: TNO, 2005

Tulip Case: Dissemination of Information

Locations (colour indicates the most recent groundwater level)Extremely high X Meteorological stationHighNormalLowExtremely lowNo recent records Source: TNO, 2005

Introduction

Concept of Information Management

Collection of data

Control and storage

UseProcessing

Disseminationof information

Feedback

Know

ledg

e

Information management

Water Information Management: National Level

Non-Government

TNODINOGroundwater

Non-Government

TNODINOGeology

GovernmentRIZA & RIKZDONARSurface water

GovernmentKNMIKODACMeteorology

Institutional status

AdministratorDatabase name

Theme

Example: The Netherlands

Information management

Water Information Management: Regional Level

OAS

OAS/OEA

CCOP

UN-ESCWA

ALHSUD

EU

ACSAD

UN-ECE

OSS

SADC

Arab Networks

UN-ESCAP

IWMI

Information management

Water Information Management: Global Level

Information management

International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre

Information management

Organisation of IGRACIGRAC example

An initiative of UNESCO and WMOFinancial support from the Dutch government for the initial yearsHosted and staffed by TNO

A centre with a non-commercial profile

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Government of The Netherlands

World Meteorological Organization

Netherlands Organisation of Applied Scientific Research

Activities of IGRACIGRAC example

Establishing a Global Groundwater Information System (GGIS)Producing and promoting guidelines and/or protocols Co-operating in global or regional projects or programmes with a significant groundwater component

IGRAC promotes global sharing of information and knowledge for optimal and sustainable groundwater resources development and management

IGRAC Special Project (1)Fluoride: Probability of occurrence in groundwater

IGRAC example

Source: Brunt et al., 2004

Information (Country cases: few or many) Spatial distribution

Preventive measures & network optimization

Knowledge: Geological environment; reaction time; climate; monitoring networks

Source: IGRAC, 2005 & Brunt et al., 2004

manyfewassumed

IGRAC Special Projects (2)SADC Transboundary Aquifers

IGRAC example

No.Aquifer name Countries1 Kagera Aquifer Tanzania, Uganda 2 Kilimanjaro Aquifer Tanzania, Kenya3 Coastal Sedimentary Basin I Tanzania, Kenya4 Coastal Sedimentary Basin II DR of Congo, Angola 5 Congo Intra-cratonic Basin DR of Congo, Angola 6 Karoo Sandstone Aquifer Mozambique, Tanzania 7 Coastal Sedimentary Basin III Mozambique, Tanzania 8 Coastal Sedimentary Basin IV Angola, Namibia 9 Northern Kalahari/Karoo Basin Namibia, Botswana

10 Nata Karoo Sub-basin Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana 11 Medium Zambezi Aquifer Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique12 Shire Valley Alluvial Aquifer Malawi, Mozambique13 SE Kalahari/Karoo Basin Namibia, Botswana, South Africa14 Ramotswa Dolomite Basin Botswana, South Africa 15 Tuli Karoo Sub-basin Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe 16 Limpopo Basin Zimbabwe,South Africa, Mozambique17 Coastal Sedimentary Basin V Namibia, South Africa 18 Karoo Sedimentary Aquifer Lesotho, South Africa19 Rhyolite-Breccia Aquifer Mozambique, Swaziland 20 Cuvelai and Etosha Basin Angola, Namibia

Elements of Efficient and Sustainable Information Sharing

Information sharing

• Inventory of availability• Improvement of access to

information• Standardization and quality control• Structured international interactions

Inventory of Availability

• Who is who? • Where to search for information?• Related documentation (reports,

articles, books) • What projects are going on?

Information sharing

Tool: Meta-information systems

Improvement of Access to Info

SADC Transboundary Overview:• The map with tentative spatial

distribution of transboundary aquifers• A extensive set of groundwater related

attributes per aquifer• GIS navigation functionality • Extensive query – searching for

analogies and patters• Improvements and upgrading controlled

by SADC experts • Broad dissemination (Internet) of

geographically-based information

Tool: Dedicated GIS-based Applications

Information sharing

Structured International Interactions

• Members-only web-based collaborative place (discussion platform)

• Common archive for all kinds of documents (controlled & maintained by members)

• State-of-the-art communication means (on-line textual, video audio connection)

• Bridges the gap betweenface-to-face meetings

Tool: Collaborative Environments

Information sharing

Conclusions Sharing information may have following impacts:• Anticipation on stakeholder perceptions and

provision of customized information will raise public awareness on water

• Benefits from analogies (cases) and technology transfers save time in search for effective measures

• Use of information from “lessons learned” results in reduction of costs

• High concentration of information generates new insights and can lead to “breakthroughs” in knowledge/perception

Information sharing can be seen as a shortcut toproper understanding of issues in sustainable water resources management

Information sharing

Sustainable Water Management by Nature Itself: “Kalahari” Case

The baobab tree only produces leaves during wet season. The large trunks can store more than 100 m3 of water.

The acacia tree develops long tap roots that can reach deep groundwater sources. Deepest roots found at more than 60 m.

Adjust the usage & storage or look for groundwater

Adisonia digitata Acacia

Information sharing

References References

Ackoff, R.L.,1989From Data to Wisdom. Journal of Applied Systems Analysis, Volume 16, 1989 p 3-9.

Brunt, R., Vasak, L. and J. Griffioen, 2004Fluoride in groundwater: Probability of occurrence of excessive concentration on global scale. IGRAC Report nr. SP 2004-2

IGRAC, 2005Global Groundwater Information System. www.igrac.nl

TNO, 2005Actual Groundwater Levels.www.nitg.tno.nl/ned/appl/g_resources/groundwater/actgwst/gen/nl.shtml

USAID, 2005Global Water for Sustainability. http://glows.fiu.edu/ForUSAID/DevelopmentHypothesis/tabid/357/Default.aspx

About IGRACReferences

International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centrefacilitates and promotes global sharing of information and knowledge required for sustainable groundwater resources development and management, including the protection of ecosystems.

IGRAC is an initiative of UNESCO and WMO.

IGRAC has a non-commercial profile and receives financial support from the Dutch government for the initial years.

IGRAC is hosted and staffed by TNO.

Contact: info@igrac.nl and www.igrac.nl

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Government of The Netherlands

World Meteorological Organization

Netherlands Organisation of Applied Scientific Research