Directorate of Water Resources Managment

What does the Directorate of Water Resources Management do?

The purpose of the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM) is:

"To manage and develop the water resources of Uganda in an integrated and sustainable manner in order to provide water of adequate quantity and quality for socio-economic needs for both the present and future generations."

The Directorate is responsible for the full range of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) activities including: monitoring, assessing, planning, allocating and regulating water resources Water sampling

through the issuance of water abstraction and wastewater discharge permits. It is also advising and facilitating water resources management in the country through decentralised and catchment-based management, coordinating Uganda's participation in joint management of transboundary waters resources and peaceful cooperation with Nile Basin riparian countries, facilitating the work of the national Water Policy Committee, developing and maintaining national water laws, policies and regulations, and communicating and raising awareness of the benefits of IWRM to all stakeholders.

What is Integrated Water Resources Management?

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is (As defined by the Global Water Partnership, ref. http://www.gwpforum.org) "a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital eco-systems". IWRM:

considers not only the bio-physical interdependencies within ecosystems, but also the related economic and social interactions and demands;
is participatory, with an emphasis on stakeholder involvement, including women, in water development and management; and
considers water as an economic good which cannot continue to be freely available to all competing users and uses.

An IWRM approach is fundamental to both the Water Law (1997) and the National Water Policy (1999).

What are the priority activities of the DWRM?

The Directorate manages and coordinates the full range of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) functions and activities at the international (transboundary), national and regional levels. Water resources management typically comprises three main core functions (Re. Water Resources Management Sub-Sector Reform Study, Final Report, Vol. 1, January 2005);

Monitoring, assessment and information services: Included in these functions are all the required hydro-metrological and water quality monitoring systems and activities, and the central and regional management information systems (MIS) required to systematically collect, quality control and disseminate useful water quantity and quality data and information. As well this includes the necessary resources for assessment of present and future water resources;
Planning and regulation: This includes all the national systems for issuing and enforcing permits for abstraction and discharge (quantity and quality) and ensuring compliance; As well this include all phases of planning for transboundary, national, regional and catchment management and development of water and related resources.
Advice and facilitation (technical/organisational/financial) – "Policy and Practice": This includes a variety of activities including facilitating decentralised water resources management, transboundary activities, water policy and legislation, research, communications, from public awareness and sensitisation to technical, organisation and financial facilitation of water resources management and development activities.

The Directorate's priority activities have been recently updated in developing the Sector Investment Plan (SIP) for the MWE and are summarised following under each of the three core functions:

1. Water Resources Monitoring, Assessment and Information Services:

Water Quantity and Quality Monitoring: Monitoring the state of the quantity and quality of the water resources of the country with a representative and reliable network of hydrometeorological, river gauging and water quality stations. The requirements for the network will first be assessed, required rehabilitation and up-grading carried out and new sites and stations established as necessary.
National and Regional Water Quality Laboratories: Strengthening the national and regional capacity for water quality analysis through upgrading the existing national water quality laboratory and establishment of new regional laboratories.
National and Regional Water Quantity and Quality Assessments and Mapping: Assessing national and regional water resources (surface and ground-water) quantity and quality through preparation of useful reports (e.g. Hydrological Yearbook) and maps to guide cost-effective planning and implementation of various water resources management and
Management Information System (MIS) and Analytical "Tool-box": Strengthening national data and information management services for water resources management and development through an effective and integrated Management and Information System (MIS) including a "tool-box" of useful analytical assessment tools and software (e.g. GIS and numerical modelling tools).

2. Water Resources Planning and Regulation

National and Catchment-based IWRM Plans: Preparing national and catchment-based plans for water resources management and development following an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach. Such plans would enable:

1. Implementation of cost-effective approaches to water resources management and development in water scare areas,
2. Cost-effective approaches to developing infrastructure for both flood control and drought mitigation, including inter-basin transfers and structures for multi-purpose use,
3. Development of climate change adaptation strategies and plans, and
4. Planning for implementation of emergency preparedness and response procedures and infrastructure.

Reservoir Regulation and Dam Safety: Improving regulation and management procedures of large and small hydraulic works, water reservoirs and man-made lakes through introduction and operationalisation of new licensing, regulation, safety monitoring and inspection, and reservoir/lake management and maintenance procedures and strategies.
Regulation of Abstractions and Discharges: Strengthening regulation of water resources use and water quality management to safeguard the water resources from over-exploitation and pollution, and ensure rational and sustainable allocation of water resources among different and often competing sectors. This will be achieved through:

1. increased issuance of relevant permits for water abstraction and wastewater discharges;
2. increased compliance through improved monitoring and community participation regarding the benefit of compliance, and
3. increased enforcement.

3. Water Resources Management Policy and Practice

National Catchment-based Water Resources Management and Development: Decentralised management of water resources through establishing 4 Water Management Zones (WMZs) and thus facilitating establishment of a number of catchment-based management organisations (CMOs) throughout the country. This approach is intended to promote more effective stakeholder participation, including collaboration with NGOs and other non-governmental players, to and ensure water resources are managed and developed in a sustainable manner. The approach would enable water resources assessment, planning, management and development at the catchment-level including catchment-based plans.
National Catchment-based Water Resources Management and Development: Decentralised management of water resources through establishing 4 Water Management Zones (WMZs) and thus facilitating establishment of a number of catchment-based management organisations (CMOs) throughout the country. This approach is intended to promote more effective stakeholder participation, including collaboration with NGOs and other non-governmental players, to and ensure water resources are managed and developed in a sustainable manner. The approach would enable water resources assessment, planning, management and development at the catchment-level including catchment-based plans.
Transboundary Water Resources Management and Development: Promoting transboundary regional cooperation for equitable and reasonable utilisation of the shared water resources of the Nile and Lake Victoria basins through active participation in the Nile Basin Initiative and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission programmes and activities, as well as other international water resources management programmes (e.g. GWP).

1. Transboundary water resources management policy formulation, reviews, implementation and advice,
2. Regional coordination of transboundary projects and programmes,
3. Transboundary water resources management MIS and monitoring, and evaluation of transboundary projects and programmes, and
4. Raising awareness, capacity and confidence-building as well as capacity-building on transboundary water resources management issues.
Water Resources Institute: Establishing a national Water Resources Institute to develop human resources capacity in IWRM approaches required to achieve the overall purpose noted above for water resources management in Uganda.
Water Policy Committee: Facilitating the work of the national Water Policy Committee to carry out its functions as required under the Water Act.
Water Laws, Policies and Regulations: Regular review of the national water laws, policies and regulations to ensure they reflect present and future requirements.
Communications Strategy: Implementation of a coherent strategy for stakeholder engagement and participation in all aspects of IWRM.

Priority Activities for the DWRM during the period July 2009 to June 2010

The priority activities in the Directorate's workplan for the FY 2009/2010 include: (Annual Workplan - July 2009 to June 2010)

Commencing preparation of a national water resources assessment and strategy intended to provide high-level decision-makers and others with an up-to-date and accurate information and framework for water resources management and development, including climate change adaptation, in Uganda.
Continued implementation of the catchment based water resources management through establishment of four Water Management Zones (WMZs) supporting and facilitating various stakeholder-driven Catchment Management Organisations (CMOs) throughout the country
Continued representation in Nile basin and Lake Victoria basin transboundary water resources management programmes ensuring that Uganda's interests are protected in accordance with international law and regional treaties and agreements. Notable are the continued discussion and negotiations leading to agreeing a Cooperative Framework Agreement with the Nile basin riparians, and development of a new Lake Victoria release policy. As well the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project, Phase II (LVEMP II), an 8 year programme with a total value of about USD 250m co-financed between the 5 basin countries and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), will commence.
Continued implementation of the National Water Quality Management Strategy approved in 2005. Notable activities in the coming year include the upgrading of the Entebbe water quality laboratory to be a recognized national reference laboratory, development of new guidelines and standards to enable sustainable developments in the petroleum industry, including emergency procedures, etc.
Re-activation and support to the Water Policy Committee (WPC) to enable it to provide leadership in advising the Minister regarding the integrated and sustainable management and development of water and related resources in Uganda.
Commencing implementation of a water resources management communications strategy to improve understanding and participation in water resources management and development in Uganda.
Strengthening water resources regulatory framework through amendment of water policies and laws, establishing a reservoir regulation and dam safety management framework and improving compliance and enforcement of water laws and water permit conditions.