Catchment Area Management Lake Victoria North and Tana River Basins

The Kenyan water sector currently lacks a sustainable and effective water resources management. The centrally orientated institutional and legal system with partly undefined responsibilities is notable to efficiently manage the water resources. Basic principles of integrated water resources management, such as data collection and transfer, participation of water users in the protection and administration of water resources as well as fees forthe abstraction of water, are not considered.

The project concentrates on assisting the establishment of catchment area offices (CAOs) of the national Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) in the two catchment areas Lake Victoria North and Tana River. The project aims at achieving the following results:

Technical: Digital water resources master plans (WRMPs) for the two catchment areas are established and a water management information system (WMIS) is set up. A water monitoring system isdefined, equipment lists and investment planssupport its implementation.

Institutional/organisational:

Technical working groups function effectively and sustainably. They consider the interests of representative water user associations and catchment area advisory committees and continue implementing the WRMPs.

The administrative working group, responsible for the administrative management of implementation,functions effectively and sustainably.

Financial: Investment plans for operation of the regional project offices, the water quality monitoring system and the WMIS are compiled.

The Services:

The project activities comprise:

• Definition of a common methodology for water resources management in the two regions

• Establishment of a M&E system

• Introduction of a tailor made water management information system

• Preparation, facilitation and supervision of training measures

• Design of the framework for a water monitoring system

• Regional data collection and processing

• Assistance in the formulation of the two regional WRMPs

• Assistance to the WRMA in the preparation of rules, incl. on effluent standards.

Executing Agency: Ministry of Water Resources Management and Development.