Surface and ground waters are a strategic asset for the West Africa sub-region and play a decisive role in the economic and social development in the countries of the region. Further studies should be conducted on the Iullemeden and Taoudeni/Tanezrouft Aquifer Systems (ITTAS) and how they function in order to support the development efforts of the ITTAS countries. Greater knowledge of the hydrological connection between the aquifer systems and the Niger River is a prerequisite to improving the management of the systems’ surface and groundwater resources.
It has been taken up in the GICRESAIT project, which was funded by the AWF and FFEM (total amount 1,728,000 €), and implemented by OSS from 2010 to 2016, with the participation of seven countries (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria).
Project outputs are :
- Signifcant increase in knowledge about the Iullemeden and Taoudeni/Tanezrouft water resources, which together form a single transboundary aquifer system
- Identifcation of areas with a major groundwater potential
- Creation of a regional database
- Study of themes such as hydrogeology, land cover, aquifer recharge, piezometry, vulnerability to climate change, water-table pollution
- Facilitate the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding and a road map for the creation of a Consultation Mechanism for the joint management of the ITTAS shared groundwater resources.
