Developing a Comprehensive Water Management Plan for the Niger Basin

Introduction:
The Niger basin, located south of the Sahel in West Africa, is prone to frequent flooding, particularly in the city of Niamey. Climate change has exacerbated these issues, making effective water management critical. This project aims to develop a comprehensive water management plan for the Niger basin, focusing on flood mitigation, hydropower optimization, irrigation efficiency, and ecological sustainability.

Methods:
Our approach integrated multiple tools and models, including QGIS for watershed delineation, the Australian Water Balance Model (AWBM) for converting precipitation data into streamflow, and Goldsim for optimization based on real-world data. We ran climate change scenarios using the SSP585 model to predict future conditions. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) software was employed to simulate various management strategies, incorporating key sustainability indicators such as food security, energy security, water security, and environmental durability.

Results:
The inclusion of the Kandadji Dam significantly reduced unmet water demand during dry seasons and increased net benefits through hydropower generation. Expanding irrigation zones to 287,000 hectares substantially boosted food security but slightly compromised water availability in the Niger River. Adding a new irrigation zone in the Sirba watershed further enhanced food security with minimal environmental flow disruption. The introduction of the Sirba Dam provided a comprehensive solution, stabilizing water supply, reducing flood losses, and ensuring complete coverage of instream flow requirements.

Conclusions:
Our findings highlight the critical role of integrated water management strategies in addressing the multifaceted challenges of the Niger basin. The construction of the Kandadji and Sirba Dams, combined with optimized irrigation practices, presents a viable solution for achieving sustainable water resource management. This project underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, robust data infrastructure, and adaptive management in developing resilient water management plans for climate-affected regions.