Page 45 - CIWA Water Data Revolution Overview Report

land-coverage of monitoring systems and it can be unreliable if not maintained properly,
rendering it inadequate for informing decision-making processes. RS and other tools can provide
more frequent data over larger areas to complement observations collected in-situ and from
ground-based sensors. It is important to note that RS should not replace ground measurements
because they are more effective combined, but it strengthens the manner through which water
data collection can occur and expands the ability of countries to collect data on basins that extend
past country borders. This combined data approach can provide continuous and reliable coverage
to be used for water management and cross-border applications, such as flood forecasting,
monitoring of surface water quality, tracking of water diversions and allocations, and
quantification of water storage in reservoirs. Satellite-derived data is advantageous from a
technical because instrumentation does not vary across borders. Furthermore, it also has political
advantages because it allows for enhanced data transparency between all partners using the
data. In the past, the best way to manage and combine data was to physically store it in a
database. However, data can now be combined through living layers, potentially sourced from
all over the world, and does not necessarily need to be ‘owned’ to be used by a single user. Cloud
storage and expanding computing power have enabled a wide range of users to access, analyze,
and restore many data, including public domain data, at a low cost.

These recent advances in the availability and storage of large-scale data, in addition to the
subsequent interpretation of the data for decision-making, have not been realized by many
governments and organizations across Africa. The continent has the opportunity to leapfrog over
decades of incremental advances in the capacity to make data-driven decisions by proactively
incorporating RS tools with existing ground-based observation, data storage from physical to
virtual products, and data analysis to fit-for-purpose analytical tools. In order for this to occur
however, there needs to be a pragmatic, easy-to-use interface which facilitates and enables this
process.

3 Objectives of the Water Data Revolution (WDR)

CIWA aims to assist riparian governments in Africa in unlocking potential for sustainable, climate-
resilient growth by addressing constraints to cooperative water resource management and
development. Transboundary cooperation is strengthened by improving access to information
and through identifying, preparing, or mobilizing sustainable investments. In alignment with this,
CIWA is building the capacity of its partners to make evidence-based decisions regarding water
resources by utilizing cutting-edge technologies through the Water Data Revolution (WDR):
Closing the Data Gap for Transboundary Water in Africa.

The objective of the WDR is to build regional institutional capacity and demonstrate applications
of RS data platforms to improve management of transboundary water in Africa. Accordingly, the
WDR is connecting demand-driven analytical tools and products using RS data to decision-makers
of water resources that will strengthen the cooperative management of transboundary waters
in Africa, while additionally improving the capacity of water organizations to collect, store, and
analyse RS data and information. The WDR is applying a user-driven approach to identify and
support common needs among African RBOs and ROs, while connecting them with innovative

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