Establishment of a Global Hydrometry Support Facility (GHSF) and Innovation Hub

Today, data on water remain scarce, fragmented and difficult to access and interpret. This hampers effective decision-support for integrated water resources management (IWRM), translating into water insecurity. Many countries are unable to provide accurate, timely, and coherent information and forecasts that meet user needs. This increases societal vulnerability to natural hazards and inhibits socioeconomic growth.

Development of a reliable base of hydrological data to foster evidence-based policy, decision-making and conflict resolution in water resources management at global, transboundary, national and local levels.

Key stakeholders of GHSF: National operational services, river basin authorities, data centers (at global and regional levels), research groups and institutions, developers of new technology, providers of hydrometry education and training programs, NGOs and UN-Organizations.

Key stakeholders of iMoMo outscaling: Pangani Basin Water Office, Ministries of Water in the respective countries, FAO, Water and Land Resources Centres, local Water User Associations.

Beneficiaries: National and regional hydrological services and their users in various sectors of the economy (agriculture, energy, water supply etc.). Local communities and farmers that benefit from data related conflict resolution and more equitable water allocation.

GHSF provides an efficient, innovative and sustainable framework to support operational systems in hydrometry and water monitoring of national hydromet services, and facilitates free and open data sharing.

GHSF strengthens fit-for-purpose and sustainable monitoring capabilities through innovation in applied monitoring systems for the benefit of local water users and national hydromet services, as well as decision-makers at the national, transboundary and global level.

Local beneficiaries are engaged in crowd-sensed innovative monitoring and modelling of hydromet data to enhance coverage and availability of hydromet data in six countries at transboundary, national, sub-catchment or local community levels.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• GHSF is operational and serves as information platform for monitoring and assessment issues;
  
• GHSF is a partner for implementation and innovation in hydromet investment projects of development partners and national hydromet services;
  
• Free and open data-sharing is facilitated by providing freely accessible data and promoting the use of quality management principles;
  
• GHSF capacity in innovation management is strengthened through support by the iMoMo consortium (BGW);
  
• Innovative monitoring technologies are developed and applied;
  
• iMoMo technologies and approaches are outscaled to 6 countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan).
  

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

• A review of the WMO implemented WHYCOS programme suggested creating a permanent office for the programme to respond to operational requirements in a timely fashion.
• An external review concluded that iMoMo is a success story, promoting a decentralized and transparent data management approach at different scales, supplementing national hydromet services and with lots of potential for up-scaling. With practical implementation in Tanzania and Kyrgyzstan, iMoMo has reached the full proof of concept and is ready for out-scaling to new countries.

UNESCO-IHP, the World Bank Group, Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), other bilateral donors.

iMoMo consortium partners: HE-Arc, International Office for Water (IOW), photrack AG.

• Geneva Water Hub (GPWI funded);
  
• Global Expanded Monitoring Initiative (GEMI, GPWI supported);
  
• Various projects using iMoMo technology: strengthening agricultural water efficiency and productivity in Africa (GPWI supported); water and land resources centres (WLRC, GPWI funded); Chu-Talas transboundary in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan (SDC and GEF funded); Project on assessing irrigation schemes in Mozambique (WB-IFPRI funded); Upcoming project in Tanzania on early warning of floods (UNDP implemented);
  
• Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan National Water Resources Management projects (WB-SDC funded);
  
• Current and planned HYCOS projects of WMO.
  

Phase 1 15.07.2015 - 31.08.2021   (Completed)