Water Resources Information in Yemen National Water Resources

Water Resources Information in Yemen National Water Resources Authority Integrated Water Resources Management Program (UNDP funded program) Eng. Qahtan Al-Asbahi Program Officer

water resources of Yemen: from scarcity to the crises n Total Renewable Water Resources: 2, 500 Mm 3 n Total Water Demand: n Deficit: n Ground water decline level: n The annual water share: 125 m 3 per capita. 3, 400 Mm 3 900 Mm 3 1 -7 m per year.

Annual Water level declining (m/Yr) Basin Decline Level Sana’a 6. 0 -8. 0 Ta’iz 1. 5 -2. 0 Amran Sa’adah Rada’a 3. 0 5. 0 -6. 0 5. 0 Tuban-Abyan 0. 2 -1. 0 Tihama 1. 0 - 3. 0

Waste Water n n the treated wastewater from the STPs is around 125, 000 m 3 per day, or around 45. 5 Mm 3/year The quality of the outflow is highly variable, while it is very good quality in Hajah, it is very bad in Taiz, depending on : n n n The method of treatment The capacity of the station The operational conditions.

Water Resources Development n Rainfall water harvesting n Improving the Irrigation efficiency n Extensive investigations for groundwater n Extensive studies for desalination

Water Resources Use of Water for a Period of 20 Years (1990 -2010) in Different Water Use Sectors (Mm 3/yr) Water Use 1990 2005 2010 Agriculture 2600 /Irrigation 3145 3, 235 3, 328 Domestic 168 /Urban/Rur al Industrial & 31 Mining 210 265 552 45 65 90 Total 3, 400 3, 565 3, 970 2, 799

Institutional background of water resources management: towards entity & integrity. n n n Two parts of Yemen (South & North) were unified in May 1990 there were two different data systems/regimes. In 1996 a national water resources authority (NWRA) was established. New Ministry for Water & Environment was established in May 2003 Water Law was ratified and issued in August 2002 Irrigation & Dams department still with Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation and did not yet merged with the new established ministry

Institutional background of water resources management n n n Most of the data collection and the information systems are still scattered among water resources/supply & sanitation/irrigation projects in autonomous agencies. National Water Resources Authority is the sole authority of water resources management & the law enforcement in the whole country. There is specialized over-all agency for statistics under the ministry of planning & international cooperation, BUT no water Data.

Water resources strategies & policies and legislations: from theory to actions n n n Water Resources Policy and strategy(99 -2000 Irrigation Water policy, (2001) Watershed Policy, (2000) Agricultural sector reform policy, (2000) Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector reform Policy, (1997) wastewater reuse strategy, (under developing)

Challenges of the water resources: n n n n n Scarcity of water resources, Low water supplies and use efficiencies, Weakness enforcement of water related laws/regulations, Lack of proper coordination among the water related agencies. Minor participation of the private sector, High population growth (3. 01%) Minor public awareness. Lack of data/information Lack of investment of water sector.

Existing Water Resources Information System n n n n Monitoring Data Digitizing Well Inventory Processing of Socio-Economic Data Satellite Image Analysis Application Development WEB Page Development (WWW. NWRAYEMEN. ORG)

Water resources statistics problems n n n The data still exist among several agencies in variable formats. The data incomplete & with time-cut series and with low quality. Most of the information are estimated and predicted for each agency purposes. Low public investment in the water resources management. Lack of sufficient and efficient human resources. Poor coordination among external donors

Recent actions n n Establishing National Water Resources Information Center (NWRIC). Rehabilitation the existing water resources monitoring network. Expansion of the existing monitoring network. Strengthening the coordination links with water using agencies (water supply, irrigation private sector), Statistics Agency, the Meteorological agency and the environment authority, as well as with the donors.

- Recommendations: n n n n Support is still needed to steer the attempts of the National Water Resources Authority to have country wide organized information system. Need to develop water resources information guidelines. Need to develop guidelines for predictions, estimations and indicators in Yemen water resources information. Need to develop and improve data base information system. Need to specific and targeted training programs. Need for donors coordination to support water resources management programs. Need for proper capacity building.

3000 Years old of Rain water Harvesting system

Clay House at Sana’a, with water harvesting/saving system

Thank you all. Qahtan Al-Asbahi IWRM Program Officer Sana’a, Yemen npiwrm@ynet. ye qahtan 64@hotmail. com