tano river basin
TRANSCRIPT
WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION
TANO RIVER BASIN -
Integrated Water Resources Management Plan
October 2012
PREAMBLE
Right from the establishment of the Water Resources Commission (WRC) a priority task has been to
introduce the basic principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at local level in
selected river basins. Towards this aim, WRC is elaborating IWRM plans for priority basins, and so
far five plans have been prepared, i.e. for the Densu River, the White Volta River, the Ankobra River
the Dayi River and Pra River Basins during the period 2007-2012.
The Tano River Basin IWRM Plan is the sixth of its kind, and this basin was chosen due to several
water resources management issues especially Land degradation from deforestation, agriculture,
mining and settlements leading to water quality deterioration.
The Tano River Basin like all the River basins require basin-wide planning approach involving
stakeholder participation, awareness raising, capacity building and training, and environmental
engineering. It is believed that this approach could lead to the sustainable implementation of effective
measures to improve land use practices and management of liquid and solid wastes from the mining
activities as well as from the towns and communities within the basin
Several activities have been invested over the past few years in creating a basin-based IWRM structure for the Tano River Basin. The decentralised IWRM structure, which has evolved through a targeted participatory and consultative process, combines the following partners: a broadly anchored stakeholder-oriented coordinating body, i.e. the Tano Basin Board, respective planning officers of the District Assemblies and WRC’s Tano Basin office in Sunyani (serving as secretariat for the Board).
In parallel to the organisational arrangements, activities of a more technical nature have been
ongoing, which eventually resulted in the IWRM Plan. This plan should also be viewed as an integral
part of the stipulations in the WRC Act 522 of 1996 to “propose comprehensive plans for utilisation,
conservation, development and improvement of water resources” in adherence with the overall
National Water Policy of June 2007.
Inasmuch as IWRM is a cyclic and long-term process, the document can be seen as a milestone in this
process, in which the status of the water resources situation is documented – a process that should be
subject to continuation and updates as the need arises in the future.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all those who worked tirelessly to produce this plan and
to the European Union for funding the development of the plan. It is WRC’s sincere hope that this
plan can be a useful catalyst towards accelerating concrete water management activities in the Tano
Basin, and importantly, may also serve as a source of inspiration to advance collaboration among the
stakeholders, namely the riparian communities and the mining operations – who all in one way or
another depend on the resources of the basin.
Paul Derigubaa
Chairman, Water Resources Commission
Accra, October 2012
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... ii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. iii
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................. iv
1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1
1.1 IWRM in an international context ................................................................................. 1
1.2 IWRM planning in the Ghanaian context ..................................................................... 1
1.3 Purpose and institutional setting of the IWRM plan ..................................................... 3
1.4 Preparation and structure of the Tano Basin IWRM plan ............................................ 5
2.0 BASELINE DESCRIPTION OF THE TANO BASIN .................................................... 7
2.1 Location and physical characteristics ............................................................................... 7
2.2 Topography and Land cover/Land use .......................................................................... 8
2.3 Socio-economic characteristics of the basin .................................................................... 9
2.3.1 Demography, Administrative setting and settlement patterns ................................... 9
2.3.2 Employment profile in the basin .......................................................................... 11
2.3.3 Tradition knowledge ............................................................................................. 13
2.4 Water Resources Potential .......................................................................................... 13
2.4.1 Climatic characteristics............................................................................................ 13
2.4.2 Surface water resources availability ..................................................................... 15
2.4.3 Groundwater occurrence ....................................................................................... 16
2.4.4 Water Resources Availability .................................................................................. 17
2.5 Water resources utilisation .......................................................................................... 17
2.5.1 Domestic water supply ......................................................................................... 17
2.5.2 Industrial/mining water use .................................................................................. 18
2.5.3 Agriculture Water use ........................................................................................... 19
2.5.4 Environmental flow considerations ...................................................................... 20
2.6 Water Quality and Pollution ........................................................................................ 20
2.6.1 Surface Water quality ........................................................................................... 20
2.6.2 Groundwater quality ............................................................................................. 21
2.7 Water Quality Index (WQI) ........................................................................................ 22
3.0 ANALYSES OF WATER AVAILABILITY AND DEMAND PROJECTIONS ......... 24
3.1 Generalities of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) System ....................... 24
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3.1.1 Schematization...................................................................................................... 24
3.1.2 Prioritization of water demands ............................................................................ 25
3.2 Data input to the WEAP model ................................................................................... 25
3.2.1 Hydro-meteorological data ................................................................................... 26
3.2.2 Land cover/land use and projections .................................................................... 26
3.2.3 Demography and domestic water requirements ................................................... 26
3.2.4 Irrigation water requirements ............................................................................... 26
3.2.5 Mining water requirements ................................................................................... 27
3.2.6 Environmental flow .............................................................................................. 27
3.3 Current accounts and Reference scenario years .......................................................... 27
3.4 Climate change scenarios ............................................................................................ 27
3.5 Results from the scenario analyses.............................................................................. 28
3.5.1 Assessment of water resources available .............................................................. 28
3.5.2 Water Demand in the basin .................................................................................. 28
3.5.3 Unmet water demand ............................................................................................ 29
4.0 CONSULTATIVE PROCESS ........................................................................................ 31
4.1 Application of SEA in the IWRM planning process ................................................... 31
4.2 Water resources management issues and challenges .................................................. 31
5.0 objectives and Strategic Actions for the tano Basin ....................................................... 35
5.1 Management objectives for the Tano Basin IWRM Plan ........................................... 35
5.2 Strategic Actions ......................................................................................................... 35
6.0 MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BASIN PLAN ....................................... 42
6.1 Operational Structure .................................................................................................. 42
6.2 Gender Mainstreaming ................................................................................................ 42
6.3 Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan implementation............................................ 43
BOXES
Box 1: Definition of IWRM by GWP ........................................................................................ 1
Box 2: NTFPs as alternatives to livelihoods ............................................................................ 12
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2. 1: Basic characteristics of the Tano Basin ................................................................... 8
Table 2. 2:Districts areas and Populations represented in the Tano Basin .............................. 11
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Table 2. 3: Major sources of employment for the most active population (>15 years of age) in
the Tano Basin ......................................................................................................................... 12
Table 2. 4: Tano Basin:-Simulated areal runoff for the period 1999-2006 ............................. 16
Table 2. 5: Estimated annual water balance for Tano Basin.................................................... 17
Table 2. 6: Key active water supply systems in the Tano Basin (2010) .................................. 18
Table 2. 7: Major Irrigation schemes in the Tano Basin.......................................................... 19
Table 2. 8: Water Resources utilisation in the Tano Basin ...................................................... 20
Table 2. 9: Criteria for classification of surface water bodies ................................................. 22
Table 2. 10: WQI at monitoring sites in Tano Basin (July 2010) ............................................ 23
Table 3. 1: Priority for water allocation ................................................................................... 25
Table 3. 3: Land cover/use in the WEAP ................................................................................ 26
Table 4. 1: Problems, root causes and actions proposed by stakeholders................................ 33
Table 5. 1: Overview of the basin IWRM Planning framework .............................................. 40
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2. 1: Location map of the Tano River Basin .................................................................. 7
Figure 2. 2: Major Land cover types in the Tano Basin ............................................................ 9
Figure 2. 3: Geo-political composition of the Tano Basin....................................................... 10
Figure 2. 4: Annual rainfall distribution in the Tano Basin ..................................................... 14
Figure 2. 5: Seasonal variation of rainfall in the Tano Basin .................................................. 15
Figure 2. 6: Seasonal river flow at Tanoso (BA) ..................................................................... 15
Figure 2. 7: Geological map of the Tano Basin ....................................................................... 16
Figure 3. 1: Schematic view of water allocation in the Tano Basin ........................................ 24
Figure 3. 2: Demand sites water balance - ............................................................................... 28
Figure 3. 3:Water demand projections for major demand sites ............................................... 29
Figure 3. 4: Unmet demand (shortages) for major demand sites under climate change
scenarios ................................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 3. 5: Demand coverage for the major demand categories (Mining, Irrigation and
domestic water supply) ............................................................................................................ 30
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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
ADRA Adventist Development and Relief Agency
AfDB Africa Development Bank
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand
CBOs Community Based Organizations
CC Climate Change
CIAPOL Centre Ivoirien Anti-pollution
CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
CSIR-WRI CSIR-Water Research Institute
CWSA Community Water and Sanitation Agency
DANIDA Danish International Development Assistance
DO Dissolve Oxygen
EDF European Development Fund
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
EU European Union
FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation
FC Forestry Commission
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GEF Global Environmental Facility
GIDA Ghana Irrigation Development Authority
GIS Geographic Information System
GMet Ghana Meteorological Agency
GoG Government of Ghana
GWCL Ghana Water Company Limited
GWP Global Water Partnership
HES Hydro-Environ Solutions Limited
HSD Hydrological Services Department
IGF Internally Generated Funds
IWMI International Water Management Institute
IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management
IWSPMF Improvement of Water Sector Performance Management
Framework
LI Legislative Instrument
MC Minerals Commission
MDAs Ministries, Departments, and Agencies
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MDGs Millennium Development Goals
MFA-RI Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration
MMDAs Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Assemblies
MoFA Ministry of Food and Agriculture
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MSSP Mining Sector Support Programme
MWRWH Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing
NAO National Authorizing Officer
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NWP National Water Policy
NWV National Water Vision
TBB Tano Basin Board
RWH
RBBs
Rainwater Harvesting
River Basin Boards
RWHS Rainwater Harvesting Strategy
SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment
SSDP Sector Strategic Development Plan (Water)
TDS Total Dissolve Solids
TSS Total Suspended Solids
UNEP United Nations Environmental Programme
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
VRA Volta River Authority
WD Water Directorate
WQI Water Quality Index
WRC Water Resources Commission
WSS Water Supply and Sanitation
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 IWRM in an international context
The process of integrated water resource management (IWRM) is now a well established
international practice, which is key to meeting the challenges of rapidly growing urban water
demands and wastewater discharges; to securing water for increased food production; to
reducing vulnerability to floods and droughts; to
reducing risk to human health and protection
from diseases and hazards; to ensuring water for
industry and other economic activities; and to
protecting the resource base and vital
ecosystems from negative impacts of
developments.
The term integrated water resources
management has been subject to various
interpretations, but the definition by the Global
Water Partnership (GWP)1 has been adopted in
the Ghanaian context (see Box 1).
Due to competing demands for the water resource (in the worst case resulting in limiting
economic development, decreasing food production, or basic environment and human health
and hygiene services), the IWRM process is intended to facilitate broad stakeholder input in
order to build compromise and equitable access. This is particularly the case for a developing
country like Ghana, which allocates much effort in addressing poverty reduction and in
achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in 2002
(Rio+10), the international community took an important step towards more sustainable
patterns of water management by including in the WSSD Plan of Implementation, a call for
all countries to “develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans”.
The “water efficiency plan” is considered as an important component of IWRM, and hence as
an integral part of an IWRM plans. The goal of preparing IWRM plans as called for at the
WSSD set the tone for a worldwide initiative, which Ghana has adopted with the purpose “to
promote an efficient and effective management system and environmentally sound
development of all its water resources”2 based on IWRM principles.
1.2 IWRM planning in the Ghanaian context
While Ghana is yet to develop a National IWRM Plan following the recommendations of
WSSD Plan of Implementation, the country has already put in place a good part of the basic
political, legal and institutional frameworks, which may eventually sustain the IWRM
planning and implementation. Some notable programmes and action already in place include:
1 Global Water Partnership (GWP): Integrated Water Resources Management, Technical Advisory Committee, TEC
Background Paper No. 4 (2000) 2 Ghana National Water Policy, 2007.
Box 1: Definition of IWRM by GWP
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i) The establishment of the Water Resources Commission by an Act of parliament in
1996;
ii) The passing into Law of the 2007 Water Policy;
iii) The development of three national river basin plans and corresponding River Basin
Boards (RBBs) between 2003 and 2008; and
iv) The active involvement with neighbouring countries on trans-boundary issues
(Ghana-Burkina on the Volta Basin).
In addition, substantial capacity building has taken place within the key institutions involved
in water resources management. Ghana’s approach to IWRM planning is to initiate the
planning from the river basin level, starting with the most “water stressed” basins of the
country. At a later stage, the lessons learnt in implementing these basin plans will provide
input to the preparation of a National IWRM Strategy/Plan incorporating trans-boundary
water resource related issues. The IWRM Plans and Strategies shall be prepared with the
overall purpose of addressing major problems at a river basin level related to:
Water resource availability;
Water quality; and
Environmental/ecosystem sustainability.
Due account shall be taken to water use, and the social and economic implications of
implementing an IWRM plan. Actions to be taken as a consequence of planning shall be
prepared based on scenarios describing different approaches for solving major management
problems (that might be described with natural resources, sociological/cultural, economic and
regulatory, administrative and institutional indicators) within a defined time period.
As such most of the outputs to be provided are prioritised and ranked sets of
programmes/actions that from a political, legal, technical, sociological and economic point of
view, are considered as the most sustainable and efficient solutions.
Political (democratic) aspects of IWRM planning in this regard require, that plans shall be
elaborated in a participatory manner guided by principles, which are imbedded in the concept
of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Generally, SEA is applied with two purposes,
viz:
To evaluate environmental impacts and to rank the environmental effects of plans
and programmes; and
To evaluate conformity and/or conflicting stipulations between various related plans
and programmes.
SEA tools have been applied in Ghana during the formulation of the National Water Policy
and in assessing the first Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy. As a continuation of these
approaches, a SEA Practical Guide3 has been prepared, which presents a number of SEA
tools applicable to the water and sanitation sectors, including water resource planning,
development and management. Key aspects therefore, in the IWRM-SEA process is a
participatory approach involving users, planners and policy makers to build commitment; a
3 SEA of Water and Environmental Sanitation – a Practical Guide. Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing;
Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment; and Environmental Protection Agency (final draft,
October 2006).
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holistic view that calls for cross-cutting interaction within basins; an integration in terms of
upstream-downstream catchment implications; and recognition to the fact that water is an
economic good.
As part of the process, the basin-based IWRM plan shall form a widely accepted and easily
understood document describing the current state of the water resources and outlining
strategies that enable basin-specific management to adhere to the stipulations given in the
National Water Policy (NWP). Thus, the IWRM plan should be considered a “blueprint”,
which describes steps to be taken towards realising the National Water Vision (NWV).
WRC is in the process of extending the implementation of RBBs to more basins, including
Pra and Tano Rivers from 2011. This framework plan has been prepared specifically for the
Tano River Basin. It is based on a rapid assessment of the status of water resources in the
basin, including the present and planned levels of water utilization, as well as issues of
environment, water conservation, and sustainability. It presents the outline structure within
which a number of other more detailed medium to long term actions will be prepared by the
Tano Basin Board (TBB).
1.3 Purpose and institutional setting of the IWRM plan
The target groups of the basin-based IWRM plans are planners and decision-makers
operating in the water sector, including the river basin boards, who are provided with a tool
for “what to do” and for detailing activities and programmes concerning specific
interventions. Specifically, the purpose of the IWRM plan is to:
- Contribute to the provision of sufficient supply of good quality surface water and
groundwater as needed for sustainable, balanced and equitable water use;
- Prevent further deterioration and protect the status of aquatic ecosystems with regard
to their water needs;
- Protect terrestrial ecosystems directly depending on the aquatic ecosystems;
- Contribute to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts; and
- Provide appropriate water management with efficient and transparent governance in
the sector whether at local, district or basin-based level.
IWRM is a cyclic and long-term process. Hence, the IWRM plan can be seen as a milestone
in this process, where the status of the process is documented, and the plan inevitably will be
kept up-to-date with the emergence of new knowledge, e.g. related to changes in the
hydrological regime and projections of future water requirements.
For the IWRM plan to be successfully implemented, it is imparative that the WRC
collaborates with institutions affected by the plan. This is because the plan impacts on a
variety of socio-economic and regulatory aspects, viz; utilisation and protection of natural
resources, social and cultural situations, economics and production, and the legal,
administrative and institutional frameworks. This is reflected in the composition of the
WRC’s Board and the RBBs, which is made up of technical representatives of all the main
stakeholders involved in development and utilisation of water resources, including the
following:
- Metropolitan, Municipal, District Assemblies (MMDAs), Community Water and
Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in water
demand projections;
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- Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Lands Commission (LC), Minerals
Commission (MC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Food and
Agriculture (MOFA) and Traditional Authorities in catchment management;
- MMDAs and EPA in controlling various wastes into water bodies; and
- EPA, Forestry Commission (FC), Fisheries Department (FD), Water Research
Institute of the Council for Industrial Research (CSIR-WRI) and Hydrological
Services Department (HSD) in assessing environmental flow requirements.
The overall institutional setting as it relates to the planning and implementation of the
activities outlined in the IWRM plan is depicted in Figure 1.1.
Figure 1.1: Institutional Framework for IWRM Planning and Implementation
WATER USERS
HOUSEHOLDS, INDUSTRIES, FARMERS, FISHERIES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS,
OTHER MDAs
INDUSTRIAL WATER
DRINKING WATER
IRRIGATION WATER
HYDROPOWER NAVIGATION RECREATION FLOOD
CONTROL NATURE ETC.
MMDAs
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING,
OWNERSHIP OF WATER RESOURCES
PLANNING REGUL. CATCHMENT MGT TARIFF REGUL. ETC.
REGULATORY &
INFORMATION BODIES
NDPC
EPA
LANDS COMMISSION
MINERALS COMMSS.
FISHERIES COMMSS.
PURC
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING.
GHANA METEORO-LOGICAL AGENCY
HYDROLOGICAL SER-
VICES DEPARTMENT
WATER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
ETC.
WRC – RIVER BASIN BOARDS
IWRM PLANNING, GRANT OF WATER PERMITS, CATCHMENT MGT, ETC.
MWRWH–WATER DIRECTORATE
POLICY FORMULATION, CO-ORDINATION, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION
MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC PLANNING
PARLIAMENT OF GHANA
GOODS,
WORKSANDSERV
ICES PROVISION
PUBLIC (GWCL, CWSA, VRA,
IDA, MOFA)
PRIVATE
NGOs
CONSULTANTS
CONTRACTORS
ETC.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
LOANS & GRANTS
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1.4 Preparation and structure of the Tano Basin IWRM plan
The plan for the Tano River Basin has been elaborated as part of WRC’s mandate4 to
“propose comprehensive plans for utilisation, conservation, development and improvement of
water resources” with due consideration to stipulations in the National Water Policy and the
Water Sector Strategic Development Plan (WSSDP).
A number of consultative meetings and workshops were organised during the course of
preparation of the plan as part of procedures and application of the SEA “tools”, specifically
targeting local stakeholders and planners of the basin towards identification and ranking of
water resource management problems and issues as perceived by them. The consultative
workshops were also used as training sessions on IWRM as many of the stakeholders were
not conversant with many aspects of IWRM.
To ensure local ownership of the basin plan, the WRC first established the Tano Basin Board
(TBB) constituted by a wide sphere of interest groups within the Basin to actively participate
in the planning process at the initial stage. The TBB members include the following:
a) Representatives of MMDAs in the basin
b) A Representative of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council
c) A representative each of Regulatory Institutions in charge of Mining, Forest,
Environment, etc
d) A Representative each of major water users (Domestic water supply, Agriculture
and Mining)
e) A representative of Traditional Rulers
f) A Representative of Civil Society Groups that is active in the sub-basin.
g) A Representative of Women/Youth groups
(See section 6.1 for detailed membership of the TBB)
In addition, the preparation of the basin plan drew upon on a number of baseline studies
carried out as components of the EU funded project – “Development of National and River
Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan” (WRC/EDF9/3U1/2010), which
comprised of the following:
Catchment-Based Monitoring Project in Ghana
National Baseline Studies and Institutional Analyses towards the Development of the
National IWRM Plan
Baseline Studies and Water Balance Assessment for Pra and Tano basins towards the
Development of National IWRM Plan
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Pra, Tano basins and the National
IWRM Plan
The basin plan report is presented in six chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 provides an introduction and puts IWRM in context and explains the approach adopted
for the plan preparation. Chapter 2 outlines baseline situation in the basin. Analyses of water
availability and demand projections are carried out using the WEAP model in Chapter 3.
4 Water Resources Commission Act N
o 522 of 1996
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Furthermore, in this chapter a number of scenario analyses are presented comprising different
development options and strategies for the utilisation of the basin’s water resources,
including likely climate change impacts on the water resources. In Chapter 4 the consultations
that lead to the identification of the water resources management issues and challenges are
outlined. The broad objectives for the management of the Tano Basin are set and corresponding
management actions that will be taken to achieve the objectives are spelt out in Chapter 5.
Chapter 6 provides the institutional arrangements and modalities for implementation of the Plan.
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2.0 BASELINE DESCRIPTION OF THE TANO BASIN
2.1 Location and physical characteristics
The Tano Basin is one of the principal south-western river basins system of Ghana and lies
between latitudes 50
N and 70 40
’ N, and longitudes 2
0 00
’ W and 3
0 15
’ W. It has a total
catchment area of about 15,000 km2, which spans almost 35% of Brong-Ahafo, 15% of
Ashanti, and 50% Western Regions. The main Tano River takes its source from the
highlands at Tuobodom near Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region at an altitude of 518
meters above sea level, and flows for 400 km to discharge into the Aby Lagoon in Côte
d’Ivoire (Figure 2.1).
R E P U B L I C
O F
C O T E D' I V O I R E
R E P U B L I C
O F
T O G O
B U R K I N A F A S O
G U L F O
F
G
U I N
E
A
THE AREA OF TANO BASIN
N
Figure 2. 1: Location map of the Tano River Basin
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The Tano basin is transboundary, as the last 100 km of the downstream reaches of the river
flows through the international boundary between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire before entering
the Aby-Tendo-Ehy lagoon system in Côte d’Ivoire. Most of the lagoon system is located in
Côte d’Ivoire but the larger part of the river basin is located in Ghana and drains a region of
intensive gold mining activities. Its total catchment area (14,852 km2) is split between Côte
d’Ivoire (7%) and Ghana (93%). The major tributaries include the rivers Abu, Amama,
Boin, Disue, Gaw, Kwasa, Sumre, Suraw and Totua.
Most of the towns in the basin are prominent for their gold mining activities. Gold is mined
extensively at Kenyase, Bibiani and in the forest reserves near Sefwi-Surano. Logging is
another important industry within the forest belt and harvesting of timber is carried out in
concessions granted to timber companies by the Forestry Commission. Major saw-milling
and timber processing companies are located at Berekum, Goaso, Mim, Sefwi-Wiawso,
Samreboi and Sunyani. The basin is also a leading producer of rattan oil palm, para-rubber,
cocoa, coffee, copra and food crops like plantain. The coconut plantations are found mainly
in the coastal strip of the basin.
The basin is endowed with a unique mixture of tourist attractions, which ranges from
National Parks (Ankasa Resource Reserve) and Cultural Heritage sites (chieftaincy
institution, traditional durbars/festivals, art and craft villages, etc). The evergreen forest in
the south for example, is the most prolific in biodiversity with the Ankasa Forest Reserve
being the second richest in the world in terms of flora and fauna. The moist-semi-deciduous
forest subtype is also a habitat for more elephants than any part of Ghana’s forest.
These touristic assets are under threat from human activities and other natural forces
(including climate change). Harnessing these opportunities and dealing with the challenges
of catchment degradation and water pollution from increased tourism is of utmost
importance, and is particularly significant for sustainable natural resources management.
A summary of some basic characteristics of the Tano Basin is given in Table 2.1 below.
Table 2. 1: Basic characteristics of the Tano Basin
Basin Area 14,852 km2
Inhabitants 2,419,934; (density ~37.5 per km2)
Population Growth Rate for the
basin (1994- 2000) is 2.2%/year
Length main Tano
River
400 km
Key tributaries Rivers Abu, Amama, Boin, Disue, Gaw, Kwasa, Sumre, and Suraw
Reserve Ares Ankasa Resource Reserve.
Important water uses
and services
Water abstraction (mining and irrigation), water supply (domestic &
industrial
2.2 Topography and Land cover/Land use
The topography of the Tano Basin is characterised by relatively flat land in the southern
half, which gives way to few peaks in the mid to northern sections of the basin. The highest
elevations in the basin are located in the northern sections and the fringes of the eastern
parts where elevations of up to 500 metres above sea level are common. In the south of the
basin, altitudes range between 0 at the boundary with the Gulf of Guinea, to about 150 m
above mean sea level in the middle southern sections of the basin.
The Tano basin lies within the wet evergreen (south-east) and the moist-semi-deciduous
agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Ghana. The southern part of the basin has the thickest
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vegetation, which appears largely continuous (Figure 2.2). About 40% of the total basin area
is covered by forests, which are largely protected areas (forest reserves). In the wet
evergreen forest area is the Ankasa Resource Reserve. In the mid to northern halves of the
basin, the forest cover is relatively sparse and much more scattered.
N
Classified space image of Landsat ETM showing the major land cover types classified in terms of:
Close canopy cover - Deep GreenOpen canopy cover - Light GreenShrub/Herbacious cover of short fallow periods - TanBare Areas - BrownWater Body - Blue
40 0 40 80 Kilometers
Figure 2. 2: Major Land cover types in the Tano Basin
Land use is mostly agricultural with extensive cocoa farming taking place in the reserve
areas. Logging is another important industry within the forest belt, which is mostly carried
out in concessions granted to timber companies. Fuel wood is the main source of energy and
this is harvested mainly from the forests, which has reduced the forest cover considerably
since the 1960s. Currently, the major land use types5 within the basin are estimated as
follows: agriculture (50%), forest (40%), and human settlements (urban and suburban
developed lands) cover 10%.
2.3 Socio-economic characteristics of the basin
2.3.1 Demography, Administrative setting and settlement patterns
The Tano Basin has a total population of about 2.4 million, who live and work in various
villages, medium sized towns and metropolitan areas within the basin.
5 Tano Basin Baseline studies report
Close canopy cover
Open canopy cover
Water Body
(Lagoon)
Bare Areas
Shrub cover of short fallow
period
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The basin traverses three (3) administrative regions with 21 districts and municipalities
divided as follows: Ashanti Region -4 districts, Brong-Ahafo Region -10, and 7 in the
Western Region (Figure 2.3). Population growth rate is estimated to be 2.2% per annum
(2000)6. An average of over 70% of the basin’s population live in rural areas whilst the
remaining (~ 30%) live in urban areas. Population density is very variable and is generally
lowest in the rural areas and highest in urban areas, which generally have, their facilities
stretched in view of rural-urban and inter-basin migrations.
The Western Region is the most extensive of the three regions in the basin and has the
largest representation in terms of landmass, while Brong-Ahafo Region has the highest
representation in terms of the total population, accounting for over 40% of the total
population of the Basin. The Brong-Ahafo Region is also the most urbanized, contributing
about 56% of the urban population, with the Ashanti Region accounting for about 18%.
Figure 2. 3: Geo-political composition of the Tano Basin
The average population density in the Tano Basin is 37.5 persons per sq. km, with Ahafo-
Ano North District in the Ashanti Region recording the highest population density of 128.07
persons per sq. km and Juabeso District in the Western Region having the lowest population
density (see Table 2.4). The average population density of the basin is about half of the
national average of 77 person per sq. km. The implication is that the basin is relatively
sparsely inhabited with the highest population densities in the urban centres.
6 Based on 2000 Population and Housing Census of Ghana Statistical Service
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
11
Districts coverage in terms of human settlements in the basin is summarised in Table 2.3.
Table 2. 2:Districts areas and Populations represented in the Tano Basin
REGION DISTRICT NATIONAL_
AREA_Km2
BASIN_
AREA_Km2
Estimated
Population
Population
density
(national)
Population
density in
the basin
Ashanti Ahafo Ano North 562 562 71,952 128.03 128.07
Ashanti Ahafo Ano South 1215 557 133,632 109.99 50.43
Ashanti Offinso North 1503 366 138,676 92.27 22.45
Ashanti Atwima Mponua 2450 793 237,610 96.98 31.40
Brong-Ahafo Asutifi 1536 1210 84,485 55.00 43.34
Brong Ahafo Berekum 863 291 93,235 108.04 36.46
Brong Ahafo Dormaa 2162 167 150,299 69.52 5.38
Brong Ahafo Sunyani 1571 789 179,165 114.05 57.25
Brong Ahafo Techiman 1056 394 174,600 165.34 61.72
Brong Ahafo Asunafo North 2350 595 174,026 74.05 18.73
Brong Ahafo Asunafo South 2350 681 174,026 74.05 21.46
Brong Ahafo Tano North 1405 704 123,404 87.83 44.03
Brong Ahafo Tano South 1405 580 123,404 87.83 36.28
Western Aowin-Suaman 3045 2710 119,133 39.12 34.82
Western Bibiani/Anwiaso/
Bekwai
826 204 245,035 296.65 73.14
Western Jomoro 1462 884 111,348 76.16 46.07
Western Nzema East 2091 26 142,871 68.33 0.86
Western Sefwi Wiawso 2002 1483 148,950 74.40 55.11
Western Juabeso 4156 26 245,035 58.96 0.36
Western Wassa Amenfi
West
4861 1936 234,384 48.22 19.21
Data Source: WRC (2010). Baseline Study of the Tano Basin
2.3.2 Employment profile in the basin
The main source of employment within the basin is Agriculture. About 70% of the labour
force in the basin is involved in agriculture, particularly cocoa, maize, oil-palm, cassava,
cocoyam, and plantain production. However, agricultural productivity in most communities
is low because of small farm holdings. With the exception of cocoa, most farmers grow
crops primarily for consumption in the homes, and the excess sold to provide extra income
for the family where harvest outstrips family needs.
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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The use of irrigation technology is not
widespread in the basin, with the Techiman
and Offinso-North Districts being notable for
large-scale tomatoes cultivation. The
tomatoes farmers use large quantities of
fertilizers, insecticides and high yielding
seed varieties. In fact, one of the largest food
markets of Ghana is located at Techiman in
Brong-Ahafo Region of the basin.
Apart from Agriculture, which employs
more than half of the population, community
forests also make significant contribution to
rural income and employment through Non-
timber Forest Products (NTFPs) trade (Box
2).
Most of these NTFPs come from community forests, which are handed over to the
Community Forestry User Groups (CFUG) set up by the Forestry Commission. NTFPs
contribute on average, 35% of the total annual income of some famers7.
Other rural employment generated for men and women (including the poor) are through
work in timber processing factories and self-employment. An average of 13% of the
population in the basin are employed in the manufacturing and transportation sectors, while
about 9% are employed in what is generally described as menial daily jobs.
The oil and gas are currently being explored in the lower Tano Basin to contribute to the
national as well as the basin’s economy. Crude-oil production level from the Jubilee fields
(offshore the Tano Basin) is expected to reach over 120,000 barrels a day by 2012. The oil
production holds considerable promise and is expected to catalyse an industrial take-off of
the country including the districts in the Tano Basin.
A summary of the employment profile based on 2000 Census is presented in Table 2.4.
Table 2. 3: Major sources of employment for the most active population (>15 years of age) in the Tano
Basin
DISTRICT REGION Agriculture
& related
jobs
(%)
Education
& Public
admin.
(%)
Trade &
businesses
(%)
Manufacturi
ng &
transport
(%)
Construct
ion
(%)
Others
(%)
Ahafo-Ano North Ashanti 74.1 3.3 4.8 8.9 1.5 7.4
Ahafo-Ano South Ashanti 70.0 4.3 3.6 9.5 1.2 11.4
Ofinso-North Ashanti 74.1 3.6 7.7 7.6 1.2 5.8
Atwima Mponua Ashanti 45.2 4.4 18.4 16.2 3.5 12.3
Asutifi Brong Ahafo 72.4 0.1 0.0 20.4 1.7 5.4
Berekum Brong Ahafo 50.9 0.3 2.7 29.6 3.3 13.2
Dormaa Brong Ahafo 68.5 0.2 0.6 24.4 1.6 4.7
7 Ahenkan A, and Boon E. (2011). Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, Vol 29(2); April 2011
The term NTFPs encompasses all biological materials
other than timber which are extracted from forests,
other wooded land, and trees outside forests and
domesticated that include products used as food and
food additives (edible nuts, mushrooms, grass-cutters,
snails, fruits, herbs, spices and condiments, aromatic
plants, game), fibres (used in construction, furniture,
clothing, or utensils), resins, gums, and plant and
animal products used for medicinal, cosmetic or
cultural purpose for human use.
NTFPs contribute substantially to nutrition, either as
part of the family diet or as a means to achieve
household food security. They also improve health
through the prevention and treatment of diseases.
Box 2: NTFPs as alternatives to livelihoods
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Sunyani Brong Ahafo 45.9 0.4 0.9 29.8 1.7 21.3
Techiman Brong Ahafo 57.1 0.1 15.2 17.9 2.7 6.9
Wenchi East Brong Ahafo 70.0 2.1 5.9 10.6 2.0 9.4
Asunafo North Brong Ahafo 68.3 0.1 5.3 10.1 3.8 12.4
Asunafo South Brong Ahafo 68.3 0.1 5.3 10.1 3.8 12.4
Tano North Brong Ahafo 73.0 0.2 5.8 7.2 1.3 12.5
Tano South Brong Ahafo 73.0 0.2 5.8 7.2 1.3 12.5
Aowin-Suaman Western 84.3 2.5 3.4 5.6 0.9 3.3
Bibiani/Anwiaso
/Bekwai
Western 67.2 4.6 4.2 9.9 5.0 9.1
Jomoro Western 55.4 4.4 9.2 21.2 3.0 6.8
Nzema East Western 63.8 3.9 9.1 13.1 1.4 8.7
Sefwi-Wiawso Western 77.7 3.1 4.9 8.5 1.4 4.4
Juabeso Western 84.0 2.3 3.5 5.0 0.8 4.4
Wassa-Amenfi
West
Western 80.3 2.9 3.8 6.5 1.0 5.5
Sources: WRC (2010), Tano Basin baseline studies report, December 2010
2.3.3 Tradition knowledge
The riparian communities have traditional knowledge and practices relating to water, its use
and conservation. The respect given to the spirit of nature and protection of forests ensures
that the communities protect and conserve the vital water resources. For example there is a
local belief that Twinpuro is the source whiles Botwerewa is also situated along the
direction of flow Taakora (an Akan god), lives at the source of the river. Consequently,
entry into the forest and consumption of some fish species (believed to be the children of the
gods) are forbidden in the upper reaches of the basin.
2.4 Water Resources Potential
2.4.1 Climatic characteristics
The climate is sub-equatorial wet with two rainy seasons (May-July and October-
November). The mean annual rainfall is generally about 1500mm (ranging from 1300 in the
north to 2000mm/year in the south). Both the spatial and temporal distributions are high and
increase southwards (Figure 2.4).
The basin is warm and moist with relative humidity between 75%-85% throughout the year.
In the drier seasons, temperatures are around 25oC in August and 28
oC in March. The
meteorological statistics show that the mean annual number of rainy days is between 90 and
140 days.
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Figure 2. 4: Annual rainfall distribution in the Tano Basin
There are two rainy seasons, one from June to July and the second from September to
October. The mean annual potential evapo-transpiration varies from about 1,322mm in the
Jomoro District of the Western Region to about 1,500 mm in the Techiman District of the
Brong-Ahafo Region8. A typical seasonal variation of rainfall at Sefwi-Bekwai
meteorological station is illustrated in Figure 2.5.
8 Ministry of Works and Housing: Water Resources Management (WARM) Study, Information “Building Block” Study,
Part II, Vol.3 : Information on the South-Western Basin System. Nii Consult (May 1998).
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Figure 2. 5: Seasonal variation of rainfall in the Tano Basin
2.4.2 Surface water resources availability
The available surface water resources originate from rainfall. The basin as a whole receives
on the average 1,500mm of rainfall in a year, and the Tano River carries an average annual
runoff of about 2,774 Mm3. A typical seasonal flow at a river gauging station, Tanoso
(Brong-Ahafo) is illustrated in Figure 2.6.
Figure 2. 6: Seasonal River flow at Tanoso (BA)9
9 Water year starts in March
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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By using the basin runoff, the annual flow volumes at various gauging stations along the
Tano River and for some of the main tributaries have been estimated as listed in Table 2.4.
Table 2. 4: Tano Basin: -Simulated areal runoff for the period 1999-2006
River
gauging
Station
Basin Local
catchment
area
Total
catchment
Estimated
Areal
rainfall
(mm)
Local
runoff
(mm/year)
Runoff
coefficient
Total
runoff
(m3/s)
Total
runoff
(Mm3/year)
Elubo Tano 4499 14913 1700 415 24% 85 2680
Jomoro Tano 2344 10414 1500 151 10% 26 810
Sefwi-
Wiawso
Tano 5227 8070 1350 64 5% 15 460
Hwidiem Tano 2803 2843 1250 43 3% 3.9 123
Techiman Tano 40 40 1200 32 3% 0.04 1.3
Data Source: WRC (December 2010): National IWRM Baseline Study Report
2.4.3 Groundwater occurrence
The Tano River Basin is underlain by alternate formations with lower Birimian greywacke
making up 54% and Granitoids (43%) with minor Volta system at the extreme north, and a
narrow unit of Eocene to Cretaceous sediments in the southernmost part of the basin, which
stretches towards the coast (Figure 2.7).
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Goaso
Enchi
Akatim
Bechem
Wiawso
Bibiani
Techiman
Asankrangwa
Half Assini
2°0'0"W
2°0'0"W
3°0'0"W
3°0'0"W
7°0'0"N 7°0'0"N
6°0'0"N 6°0'0"N
5°0'0"N 5°0'0"N
" Monitoring Site
River
Geology
Eocene & Cretaceous
Upper Voltaian
Tarkwaian
Upper Birimian
Lower Birimian
Granites
Geological Map of Tano River Basin
River Basins map of Ghana showing Tano River Basin
³
Legend
0 4020Km
1:900,000Scale :
Tano Basin
EU-Funded National Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plan
Basin Groundwater Resources Assessment Project
Figure 2. 7: Geological map of the Tano Basin
Sourced: WRC/CSIR-WRI (2010). Catchment-Based Monitoring Project Report (December 2010)
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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The basin has hydro-geological features similar to those of Pra, with high aquifer
transmissivity ranging from 5.7 m2/day to 799 m
2/day. Well yield ranges from 37.5 l/min in
the sandstones of the Voltaian aquifers in the extreme north to 200 l/min in the Tarkwaian
Schist. Average thicknesses of the weathered zone or overburden ranges between 4.5 m to
40 m in the basin. The soils are mostly forest onchosols, forest oxysols and intergrades of
forest onchosols and oxysols.
2.4.4 Water Resources Availability
About 12% of the mean annual rainfall in the Basin contributes to the flow of the Pra and
more than 72% of mean annual rainfall evaporates and returns to the earth’s atmosphere
(Table 2.5)
Table 2. 5: Estimated annual water balance for Tano Basin
Water balance component Annual amount In percent of
rainfall
Rainfall 1,500 mm
Actual evapo-transpiration 1,120 mm
Tano Basin area10
14,852 km2
Rainfall over basin (volume) 23,113 million m3 100 %
Actual evapo-transpiration (volume) 16,641 million m3 72%
Recharge to groundwater (volume) 3,698 million m3 16 %
Surface water runoff (total for basin) 2,774 million m3 12%
Source: WRC (2010). Tano Basin Baseline Study Report
2.5 Water resources utilisation
The main consumptive uses of water in the basin are for domestic, industrial/mining and
agricultural (irrigation). The Tano River and its tributaries constitute the major source of
water supply in the basin, providing all-year-round reliable water source.
2.5.1 Domestic water supply
Both surface and groundwater supplies are utilized to meet daily domestic and industrial
demand of most cities and towns in the basin. Impoundments and reservoirs have been built
at various locations to mobilise water to serve various municipalities and surrounding
towns.
Records at WRC indicate that for 2010, GWCL has been granted permits to abstraction total
of 6.33 million m3/yr of water from the Tano Basin for water supply. About 74% of the total
abstraction of water from the basin is from the schemes at Sunyani/Abesim,
Techiman/Tanoso and Nzema East.
10 MINING SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAM, GHANA: Strategic Environmental Assessment, Assessment of Riverine
Material Transport in the Pra, Ankobra and Tano Rivers (April 2007)
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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The major water supply systems in the basin are listed in Table 2.6.
Table 2. 6: Key active water supply systems in the Tano Basin (2010)
No.
District water
supply scheme Source Intake
Abstraction
Surface
water Groundwater Total
Mm3/yr Mm
3/yr Mm
3/yr
1 Ahafo-Ano North River Dam 0.124 0.124
2 Asutifi River Dam 0.656 0.656
3 Berekum Groundwater 0.625 0.625
4 Sunyani/Abesim River Dam 2.894 2.894
5 Techiman/Tanoso River Dam 1.085 1.085
6 Asunafo North River Dam 0.003 0.003
7 Tano North River Dam 0.042 0.042
8 Jomoro River Dam 0.114 0.114
9 Nzema East River Dam 0.788 0.788
Total for the
basin 5.707 0.626 6.332
Source: WRC (2010). Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, 1998c; WRC, 2005
Estimates based on the 2000 population census indicate that about 45% of households in the
basin have access to potable water (piped or from boreholes), though pipe-borne water
reached only 23% of households. On the average the Ashanti and Western Regions had
equal coverage of 39% whiles the Brong-Ahafo Region had 55% coverage. If sources from
wells are included in the potable water category, the basin’s water supply coverage is
estimated to be 67%, while the coverage by region are 55%, 74%, and 66% for the Ashanti,
Brong-Ahafo and Western Regions in that order.
Rural water supply in the basin is derived mainly from boreholes and hand-dug wells. Most
of the boreholes are for domestic purposes and are fitted with hand pumps. There are also
communities where boreholes are mechanized with motorised-pumps. The estimated rural
water coverage for the Tano Basin communities in 2009 is nearly 54%. Applying the
percentage areas of the parts of the three (3) regions in the Tano Basin, rural coverage in the
basin are estimated to be 182,819, 144,920 and 212,659 persons for Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo
and Western Regions respectively. Assuming an average unit consumption rate of 55
l/capita/day for rural settlements, the 2009 groundwater extraction in the Tano Basin is
estimated to be 29,722 m3/day or 10.8 million m
3/year.
2.5.2 Industrial/mining water use
Records of water use permits issued by the WRC’s in 2010 for mining and other industrial
uses in the basin show a total 70.3 million m3/year for both surface water and groundwater.
Some of the companies permitted to abstract water include the following:
Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd;
Chirano Gold Mines Ltd;
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Ghana Nuts Company Limited; and
Amoro Puse-Bosi.
Within the supply areas of the urban pipe-borne schemes, water demand by industries,
manufacturing and other commercial activities are included in the production figures of the
schemes. A number of industries and institutions however rely on their own water supply
from both rivers and groundwater.
2.5.3 Agriculture Water use
Irrigation
There are two formal irrigation schemes managed by the Ghana Irrigation Development
Authority (GIDA) in the basin. These are the Techiman/Tanoso and the Akumadan
irrigation projects in the Techiman and Offinso-North Districts respectively (see Table 2.9).
WRC has granted water use permits to GIDA to abstract various amounts of surface water
for irrigation purposes. The combined annual water abstraction permitted for these systems
is 4.9Mm3/annum.
Table 2. 7: Major Irrigation schemes in the Tano Basin
Location District Region Year
established
Water
Source
Potential
for
irrigation
(ha)
Area
Cultivated
(ha)
Crops
Akumadan Offinso-
North
Ashanti 1976 Akumadan
River
65 40 Tomatoes
Tanoso Techiman Brong
Ahafo
1984 Tano 74 64 Tomatoes
In addition to these, informal irrigation is practiced around some water bodies in the basin.
There is little data on the overall extent of the informal irrigation in the basin. However, it is
estimated that there are more than 10,000 smallholder irrigation practitioners in Akumadan
and Techiman areas alone, who produce mainly tomatoes. The impact of irrigation on water
quality is quite significant, due to the extensive use of agro-chemicals for tomatoes farming.
The water bodies are therefore heavily polluted and render both growers and consumers at
risks from bacterial infections.
Livestock water use
Livestock production in the basin is severely limited by factors such as the incidence of
tsetse fly in forested areas and by lack of grazing vegetation. It may be of importance only
in the relatively arid northern-most sections around Techiman. For the purpose of estimating
livestock water demand, a percentage figure of the rural population water demand is applied.
Assuming a livestock water demand is 6% of the rural demand; livestock water usage in the
Tano Basin is estimated to be 1.2 million m3/year or about 3,316 m
3/day (using 100% of
rural population demand). Therefore, livestock water use in the basin is negligible.
In summary, utilisation of the surface water resources annually through abstractions for
urban piped schemes presently amounts to 0.1% of the mean annual runoff of the Tano
Basin. The groundwater abstraction for the rural schemes amounts to 0.3% of the mean
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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annual basin recharge. The existing utilisation (abstraction) of the water resources in the
Tano Basin is summarized in Table 2.8.
Table 2. 8: Water Resources utilisation in the Tano Basin
Category
% Mm
3/year
Available Runoff 2,774
Recharge to groundwater (volume) 3,698
Water Resources Use
- Urban water supply (surface+gdwater) 6.4 0.10
- Rural water supply (gdwater) 10.8 0.29
- Irrigation (surface water) 4.9 0.18
- Livestock 1.2 0.04
Industry (not served by urban piped schemes) 70.3 1.09
Total water use in the Tano basin 93.6 1.45
Adapted from WRC (2010), Tano Basin baseline studies report, December 2010
On an annual basis, utilisation of water resources of the basin constitutes only a very small
fraction of the available surface and groundwater (~1.5%). Undoubtedly, these water
resources have the potential for being further utilized. However, the resources are at risk
from quality deterioration due to inappropriate human activities (poor land-use practices,
mining, and poor waste disposal).
2.5.4 Environmental flow considerations
Generally, it is the low flow characteristics of the river that determine its suitability as
source for a year-round water supply, i.e. direct abstraction without a storage reservoir. The
flow of the Tano River and its tributaries particularly during the dry season has a significant
impact on the flora and fauna associated with the prevailing aquatic system.
Therefore, in addition to the direct abstraction requirements, the minimum amount of flow
required to maintain these vulnerable areas of the basin (environmental flow) must be
defined downstream of existing and proposed water intake sites. Environmental flow is an
important requirement (a water demand category in its own right) to be taken into
consideration as part of the Tano Basin IWRM planning.
2.6 Water Quality and Pollution
2.6.1 Surface Water quality
Recent water quality campaigns carried out as part of the Mining Sector Programme
(MSSP)11
in the south-western basins system observed that pH for the Tano Basin is
generally within the acceptable range of 6.5 to 8.5 units during both high and low flow
11 MINING SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAM, GHANA (MSSP): Strategic Environmental Assessment, Assessment of
Riverine Material Transport in the Pra, Ankobra and Tano Rivers (April 2007)
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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periods. However, slightly lower pH levels (< 6.5) were recorded at the most upstream
reaches near Techiman (indication of acidic water), but revert to neutral in the lower
reaches. Conductivity is relatively low at almost all monitoring sites, except at Sefwi-
Wiawso where a high value of 196µS/cm was recorded.
Biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels in the Tano system, especially for locations
downstream of urban settlements, are on the whole slightly above average against Ghanaian
rivers background conditions (normally < 2mg/l). While the population density within the
basin is relatively low (compared to the Pra) the total organic matter input, as point source
of domestic discharge is significant. Median BOD5 concentrations of 6mg/l, 4.4mg/l and
3.2mg/l have been recorded at Techiman, Elubo and Sefwi-Wiaso respectively.
Nitrate levels are relatively low (< 1mg/l), but levels increase almost imperceptibly towards
the mouth of the river, which is attributable to agricultural activities upstream. Phosphate
levels are also low.
The concentrations of most metals are at the natural background level except for Arsenic
(As). According to the MSSP report, higher than natural level of Arsenic concentrations and
loads were detected in the middle reaches of Tano River in 2006. At Sefwi-Wiawso, which
is downstream of the Bibiani mine, Arsenic concentration of 8.9µg/l was recorded but
slightly lower concentrations were recorded at Jomoro (8.2µg/l) and Elubo (3.4µg/l). The
progressive decrease in arsenic levels downstream lends credence to a point source
discharge of mine tailings from upstream Sefwi-Wiawso and Bibiani.
Incidents of mercury (Hg) in fishes in the Aby Lagoon and connected lagoons (Ehy and
Tendo in Côte d’Ivoire) were reported in the 1990s12
. The mercury is suspected to be
released through artisanal gold mining in Ghana and transported to the Aby Lagoon by the
Tano River.
In addition, deforestation and agriculture have resulted in erosion and nutrient enrichment of
the water bodies, the latter creating signs of eutrophication in the lower reaches of the Tano
and in the Aby lagoon, and leading to blooms of blue-green algae (or cyano-bacteria) which
produce toxins.
2.6.2 Groundwater quality
While there are isolated incidents of poor groundwater quality arising from excess salinity,
fluoride and iron levels in some boreholes in other basins in Ghana, groundwater in the
Tano Basin is generally of satisfactory quality. The basin’s groundwater quality is largely
influenced by the weathering of the underlying geology, and is generally clean of bacteria
due to the sieving effects of the unsaturated zone. Low pH values (< 7) have been detected
in boreholes in the basin and are thus acidic (but within the acceptable range of 6.5 to 8.5
units). In some cases in the Western Region however, low pH detected has been linked to
the oxidation of sulphides (pyrites, arsenopyrites, amongst others). Total dissolved solids
(TDS) ranging between 25 mg/l and 1200 mg/l have been recorded in some boreholes as
well.
12 UNEP/UCC Water (2003). Concept proposal – Joint Management by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana of the coastal, lagoon
and river system (Aby-Bia-Tano).
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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2.7 Water Quality Index (WQI)
The WRC, through the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme implemented under
the WSSP–II (2004 to 2008), has prepared a Raw Water Quality Index (WQI)13
that is used
to classify the health of rivers, streams, and lakes in a systematic manner. It guides WRC to
categorise the quality of each section of a water body as good, fair, poor, or grossly polluted
and also enables the comparison of the health of one river or section of a river with that of
another.
The WQI is an index that measures the suitability of water resources for domestic purposes
based on the weighted concentrations of a set of parameters. The index is used to describe
the state of water quality as a whole instead of looking at individual parameters and
different weights are assigned to each of the parameters based on their perceived effects on
primary health care. The WQI is based on ten water quality parameters comprising:
Dissolved Oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Ammonia- N, Faecal Coliform, pH,
Nitrate-Nitrogen, Phosphate-Phosphorus, Suspended Solids, Electrical Conductivity and
Temperature
The methodology incorporates the selected key physical, chemical and microbiological
determinants, and aggregates them to calculate a WQI value at a specific water quality
monitoring/sampling site. Based on the WQI value, the index classifies water quality into
four categories as presented in Table 2.9, with a descriptive note concerning the pollution
level of the water body in question. The aim is to protect natural waters from pollution such
that the water falls at least in the upper portion of Class II - and more desirable in Class I.
Table 2. 9: Criteria for classification of surface water bodies
Class WQI - range Description
I > 80 Good - unpolluted water
II 50 – 80 Fairly good quality
III 25 – 50 Poor quality
IV < 25 Grossly polluted water
An example of the results of the WQI computed for the major monitoring sites in the Tano
Basin obtained from water quality campaign carried out in July 2010 by CSIR-WRI is
presented in Table 2.10.
13 The WQI tend to mask site-specific pollutions. How reliable it is as an indicator of health hazard at specific sites cannot
be ascertained
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Table 2. 10: WQI at monitoring sites in Tano Basin (July 2010)
Parameters Monitoring Stations
Tanoso Elubo Sefwi-Wiawso
Dissolved oxygen
(% saturation) 77 109 44
BOD (mg/l) 2 4.4 3.2
Ammonia-nitrogen (mg/l) 0.322 1.4 0.606
pH 7.78 7.55 7.49
NO3-N (mg/l as N) 0.24 0.424 0.228
Faecal coliform
(counts/100 ml) 35 144 26
PO4-P (mg/l as P) 0.152 0.14 0.168
Suspended solids (mg/l) 21 28 15
Elec conductivity
(µS/cm) 69 115 196
Temperature (°C) 28.9 28.9 29.4
Total Score - S (%) 81 77 67
WQI = S2/100 65.6 59.3 44.9
Source: WRC (2010). Tano Basin baseline study report
The WQI computed for the Tano basin, reflect the environmental and water quality
conditions prevailing there. Surface water quality of the basin is within the class II category,
which represents fairly clean water, except in Sefwi-Wiawso where the value is lower than
50%, and therefore represents poor quality. The poor quality is attributed partly to low
dissolved oxygen content, a condition that discourages any form of aquatic life in the water
bodies.
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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3.0 ANALYSES OF WATER AVAILABILITY AND DEMAND PROJECTIONS
3.1 Generalities of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) System
The Water Evaluation Planning (WEAP) system as applied to the Tano Basin has been
developed to support water resources planning and to inform decision making on water
allocation in the basin. A brief about the process to integrate demography, water resource
availability, water requirements and allocation of various uses are discussed below.
3.1.1 Schematization
In the schematic part of WEAP, the Tano Basin is delineated into three sub-catchments, and
streams, demand sites and reservoirs are specified. GIS maps based on the river network and
the digital elevation model (SRTM) is used to determine the exact location of the streams in
WEAP. Each sub-catchment is essentially the area that contributes to river flows as
observed at a river gauging station located on the outlet of each catchment. This way,
modelling was facilitated.
Figure 3. 1: Schematic view of water allocation in the Tano Basin
The schematization of the basin involved collecting and entering the following data in
WEAP:
Water uses (demand site)
Reservoirs: location, capacity and operation rules
Flow gauging station (flow requirement and ecological reserve).
Legend
Demand site
Catchment object
Groundwater
River
Transmission link
River gauge
Environmental flow
Infiltration
Reservoir/Weir
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Rivers headflows
In-stream flow requirement14
(environmental flow)
In the absence of reliable hydrological data, water resource for exploitation was derived
from precipitation, which is injected into the model through a catchment object15
represented by a ‘green dot’. This is a simplified hydrologic model (rainfall-runoff), for
which satisfying the hydrologic cycle is paramount. Thus the precipitation contributes to
runoff, groundwater recharge, evapo-transpiration and storage, where existent while meeting
the respective water demands of the various uses.
The WEAP presents water use as “demand site” represented by a ‘red dot’. Thus water use
and for that matter, water requirements are assessed for various needs in the basin. Four
consumptive uses have been considered for the Tano basin notably:
Domestic water requirements for key towns and cities;
Livestock water requirements;
Irrigation activities and developments; and
Other demands (e.g. Industrial/Mining water requirement).
In most cases, surface water is abstracted to supply demands. In few cases, groundwater is
harnessed to supplement domestic demands.
3.1.2 Prioritization of water demands
Every sub-catchment has a number of demand sites, including domestic, agriculture
(irrigation), livestock, environmental flow and other uses. Based on priorities for water
allocation set by WRC, domestic water use and environmental flow are the most important
and have the highest priority. Second important use is Agricultural (irrigation), third is for
livestock and the other uses have least priority (Table 3.1).
Table 3. 1: Priority for water allocation
Demand Priority
Domestic water demand 1
Environmental flow 1
Irrigation water demand 2
Livestock use 3
Other demands 4
3.2 Data input to the WEAP model
14 Environmental flow was assumed in view of lack of data or research in this area
15 This was necessitated by the lack of long-term hydrological data for the basin
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Data and information that characterize the Tano Basin was processed and organized into
formats usable in WEAP. These included meteorological data, land cover and land-use,
demography and water requirements for various uses. The water year in Ghana, which
begins in March, was assumed.
3.2.1 Hydro-meteorological data
Historical data of river flows as observed at various gauges on the Tano Rivers were
unreliable and not readily available, therefore meteorological information (including rainfall
and temperature) on monthly time series for the basin obtained from the Water Resources
Commission (WRC) were used. Further, data on relative humidity and cloud cover for the
basin was extracted from the TS 2.1 dataset of the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of the
University of East Anglia (http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/hrg/cru_ts_2.10). The CRU
dataset used covered the period 1951 – 2002. There was however, no data on the wind. The
default value of 2 as noted in WEAP was used. In the future, this gap should be filled.
3.2.2 Land cover/land use and projections
The total land area for the Tano basin is estimated at 14,852 km2. The land use and land
cover in the Tano basin is characterized largely by agricultural lands, forests, and
grassland/human settlements. A baseline study conducted in the basin indicated that about
10% land use goes for settlement as at 2000. The forest cover represents the second highest
land use pattern in the basin and follows closely after agricultural lands (occupying about
50% of the total landmass of the basin). The remaining 40% of the landmass is covered by
forests, which are largely protected areas
Table 3. 2: Land cover/use in the WEAP
Land Cover/Land use 2000 2040
% %
Agriculture 50 55
Human settlement 10 15
Forest 40 30
Total 100 100
A decline of forest cover from 60% in 1960 to 30% by 2040 implies that laws governing the
exploitation of the basin forests should be enforced and implemented to the letter towards
maintenance of the ecological integrity. A key assumption in the model was that each of the
delineated catchment had the same proportion of land cover/ land use.
3.2.3 Demography and domestic water requirements
A number of key towns and cities were identified and represented in the model to reflect
water resources development of the Tano basin. An attempt was made to represent in each
sub-catchment at least a town and/or city. Pending the release of the report of the population
census carried out in 2010, population growth rates based on the 2000 census figures were
used to project the water demands into the future (till 2025)16
.
3.2.4 Irrigation water requirements
16 Historical data on the populations for most of the towns and cities, with(1960-as reference year) were sourced from
http://www.ghanadistricts.com/districts/?r=7&_=118&sa=3334
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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A number of irrigation schemes exist in the basin for which operations are expected to grow
and expand in the future. Specific to this is the Techiman irrigation scheme. However, the
volume abstracted as per the water rights granted by WRC in 2010 notably 4.9Mm3/annum
was kept constant over the simulation period.
3.2.5 Mining water requirements
Newmont Gold Mining Company and Chirano Gold Mines Limited have been represented
in the model. Although other companies were granted water rights for 2010, it is yet to
integrate these in the model. The combine water use right granted by WRC to mining
companies is 70.3Mm3/year. The value is kept constant over the period of simulation.
3.2.6 Environmental flow
To sustain river flows for environmental ‘maintenance’, minimum flow requirements have
been introduced downstream of the water abstraction points and dam sites. The assessment
of the minimum flow requirements were based on a low-flow frequency analysis on the
monthly flow data17
and determined as the 95-percentile flow (i.e. the 20-year minimum
flow return period) in each calendar month. The environmental flow requirements for
downstream major reservoirs/dams in the basin were estimated to be 0.1m3/s.
3.3 Current accounts and Reference scenario years
The Current Accounts is the dataset from which the scenarios are built. Scenarios explore
possible changes to the system on future years after the Current Accounts year. A default
scenario, the “Reference scenario” carries forward the Current Accounts data into the entire
period specified for the simulation and serves as a point of comparison for the other
scenarios in which changes are made to the system data.
The year 2010 is chosen as the “Current Accounts” year, or base year, for this model and the
period for simulation is set from 2010 to 2025.
3.4 Climate change scenarios
The climate change scenarios have been developed based on the projections for West
African sub-region18
in the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC). It is projected that by 2030, temperature for southern regions will
increase by 1.1–1.3°C and up to 1.4°C for northern regions of West Africa. The predictions
for precipitation by 2050 indicate a slight decrease in the central regions of Ghana and Cote
d’Ivoire while the coastal regions in Ghana will be wetter by 20 mm to 30 mm
Thus two climate change scenarios have been considered in the WEAP model on the
assumption that by 2030, there will be 1⁰C rise in temperature of the basin.
The scenarios are as follows:
Climate change with no change in precipitation trends relative to historical data. This
is noted as “reference” or “normal”;
17 The runoff records for many of the river gauging stations had many gaps, while the rainfall records were of long-term
series. Rainfall-runoff analyses were carried out in most cases to fill in gaps and extend the river flow series. 18 http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_figures_and_tables_gr-climate-changes-2001-syr.htm
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Climate change with a decrease in precipitation relative to historical data and
referred to as “drier”. A 10% reduction in precipitation relative to the reference
situation was applied.
Climate change with increase in precipitation relative to historical data and referred
to as “wetter”. In this case, a 10% increase of precipitation relative to the reference
situation was applied.
The scenarios took into account increasing trends of water demands for domestic
consumption whereas livestock and projected irrigation development were kept constant
through the simulation period towards assessing the water resources and existing
infrastructure capacity.
3.5 Results from the scenario analyses
In the context of this plan, the results from the scenario analyses are reported on and
compared with each other by highlighting the level of coverage (% of requirement met) as
calculated at the different demand sites during the planning period.
Water supply system losses and environmental flow requirements are included in all the
WEAP model runs presented below.
3.5.1 Assessment of water resources available
The first component to focus on is the amount of water available for future use. Simulation
of rainfall-runoff in the normal situation (reference scenario) indicates that there is not much
variation in the annual runoff. Relative to the amount of water available in the basin
(precipitation), a greater percent of the available water is used to satisfy water demands
(consumption), leaving positive water balance for the simulation period (2010-2025). The
excess supplies go into runoff that will be available for other future use (e.g. groundwater
recharge) if well managed (Figure 3.2).
Precipitation
Outflow to Middle Tano GW
Outflow to Lower Tano GW
Inflow from River Tano
Inflow from Middle Tano GW
Inflow from Lower Tano GW
Outflow to River Tano
Consumption
Demand Site Inflows and Outflows
Scenario: Reference, All months (12), All Demand Sites (18)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Millio
n C
ubic
Mete
r
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
-2,000
-4,000
-6,000
-8,000
-10,000
-12,000
-14,000
-16,000
-18,000
Figure 3. 2: Demand sites water balance
3.5.2 Water Demand in the basin
Projected water demand for major use sites is illustrated in Figure 3.3.
The bulk of the water demands are from industrial and mining sites (Ghana Nuts Company,
Chirano, Newmont, etc.). This is followed by Agricultural demand (Techiman Irrigation
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Scheme). Unlike in the Pra basin, domestic water demand is quite negligible. This is
because the cities in the Tano Basin are not as urbanised as in the Pra.
Water Demand (not including loss, reuse and DSM)
Scenario: Climate Change Drier, All months (12)Techiman Berekum Sunyani Goaso Techiman Irrigation Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd
Ghana Nuts Company Ltd Chirano Gold Mines Ltd
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Million C
ubic
Mete
r
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 3. 3:Water demand projections for major demand sites
3.5.3 Unmet water demand
Under all climate change scenarios, no unmet demand is experienced at all the major
demand sites (Figure 3.4). The implication is that there is sufficient water to meet demands
all years in the simulation period. This is expected, since the Tano Basin receives large
amounts of rainfall, but it is less urbanised and industrial growth (except mining) is not
brisk.
That no water shortages (unmet demand) are expected at the major demand sites is
confirmed by the 100% coverage projected for the various demand categories (Figure 3.5).
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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Climate Change Drier
Climate Change Wetter
Improved water transmission
Unmet Demand
All Years (16), All months (12)
Amoro Puse Bosi Asankragua Bechem Berekum Chirano Gold Mines Ltd Goaso Half Assini New mont Ghana Gold Ltd Suny ani Techiman Techiman Irrigation
Cubic
Mete
r
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.75
0.70
0.65
0.60
0.55
0.50
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
Figure 3. 4: Unmet demand (shortages) for major demand sites under climate change scenarios
Chirano Gold Mines Ltd
Ghana Nuts Company Ltd
Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd
Sunyani
Techiman Irrigation
Demand Site Coverage (% of requirement met)
Scenario: Climate Change Drier, Monthly Average
March April May June July August September October Nov ember December January February
Perc
ent
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 3. 5: Demand coverage for the major demand categories (Mining, Irrigation and
domestic water supply)
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4.0 CONSULTATIVE PROCESS
4.1 Application of SEA in the IWRM planning process
Following from the technical assessments and description of the water resource-related
challenges as presented in the previous chapters, a consultative process was carried out to
involve basin-based stakeholders with the aim of capturing the local knowledge on water
resources problems and actions required in addressing the identified water management
issues and problems.
In the Ghanaian context, well established procedures exist where plans and programmes are
elaborated and vetted following a participatory approach allowing for thorough public
discussions – often in workshop settings – guided by principles which form part of the
concept of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Thus, the SEA procedures and tools19
have been applied in the process of developing the Tano Basin IWRM plan.
A SEA approach for planning is defined as:
“A systematic process of evaluating the environmental effects of a policy, plan or programme
and its alternatives, including documentation of findings to be used in publicly accountable
decision-making”.
Furthermore, the application of SEA procedures in IWRM planning means that the evaluation
of environmental effects has an additional social dimension, viz.: “…to safeguard the future
sustainable use of water resources aimed at maintaining the economic and social welfare
within a basin without compromising the preservation of vital aquatic ecosystems”.
In adherence with the SEA principles of embracing a participatory approach, stakeholders
with specific interest/knowledge of the basin, including planners from Municipal and District
Assemblies, governmental departments, representatives from the mining industry, NGOs and
water user organisations were gathered at three occasions in workshop settings convened by
WRC at Sunyani. The objective of the first workshop was to identify water resource
management issues and problems within the Tano Basin as perceived by the stakeholders,
and to propose actions and interventions, which in a realistic way can address and mitigate
the various identified problems. At a follow-up workshop, the identified problems were
ranked and the proposed actions prioritised using pre-designed scoring tables. At the third
and last workshop the action programme was subjected to a test aimed at assessing the
overall sustainability of the IWRM plan by the concerned decision-makers and other
stakeholders.
4.2 Water resources management issues and challenges
Guided by SEA procedures, the wide range of issues and problems in the basin as perceived
by the stakeholder were analysed and grouped under five (5) problem areas namely:
a) Inadequate water supply to meet demand for domestic, commercial, agricultural, and
industrial purposes (including mining);
b) Land degradation from deforestation, agriculture, mining settlements, etc.;
19 WRC (October 2006), Support and Capacity Building to apply SEA Principles and Tools in preparing IWRM Plans at
River Basin Level..
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c) Water quality deterioration from household, commercial, industrial (including mining) and
agricultural wastes;
d) Insufficient response to climate variability and change;
e) Weak institutional capacity in terms of human, financial, logistic, data, information, etc.
While the Tano Basin is transboundary, the SEA process did not capture the absence of
transboundary governance framework as a water management challenge. The coastal-lagoon
and river system (Aby-Bia-Tano) is shared with Côte d’Ivoire. Most of the lagoon is located
in Côte d’Ivoire but the larger part of the Tano River Basin is located in Ghana and drains a
region of intensive gold mining. The water resources of the Tano River and the coastal
lagoon system are under the threat of pollution from organic substances from settlements,
nutrients from wastewater and farming and hazardous substances from mining. The impacts
of the mining in the catchment of the Tano result in serious problems of spreading of toxic
metals in the natural environment (mercury, cyanide, zinc, and arsenic)20
. Such suspended
solids affect aquatic flora and fauna by its smothering effect on the aquatic ecosystem,
destroying habitats for fish and lower organisms. There is increasing suspicion by Côte
d’Ivoire that the gold mining operations in Ghana release mercury that is transported to the
Aby Lagoon by the Tano River.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire therefore need to collaborate to address the above challenges
through joint management of the shared basin. As an upstream riparian, Ghana has the
responsibility to ensure that waters it passes on downstream are not polluted and of sufficient
quantity.
The key challenges in the Tano Basin and priority actions for addressing those are
summarised in Table 4.1.
20 UNEP/UCC Water (2003). Concept proposal – Joint Management by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana of the coastal, lagoon and
river system (Aby-Bia-Tano).
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Table 4. 1: Problems, root causes and actions proposed by stakeholders P
rob
lem
1. INADEQATE WATER
SUPPLY
2. LAND DEGRADATION
AND WATER QUALITY
DETERRIORATION
3 INADEQUATE
ADAPTATION TO
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND VARIABILITY
4. WEAK
INSTITUTIONAL
CAPACITY
5. LACK OF
TRANSBOUNDARY
WATER GOVERNANCE
FRAMEWORK
Increasing urbanization
due to rapid population
growth
High percentage of non-
revenue water (over 50%)
in urban water supply
system due to poor
physical infrastructure
and pilferages
Inadequate financial
resources and logistics for
water supply and
sanitation (WSS) delivery
Poor maintenance of
irrigation infrastructure
leading to low water use
efficiency
.
Land degradation from poor
agricultural practices, forest
excision for settlements and
illegal mining
Deforestation for agricultural
land and fuel wood
Fragmented buffer zone
policies
Farming along the river banks
Point pollution from
discharges of waste from
mining, industrial and urban
centres;
Poor urban sanitation
practices
Extensive use of agro-
chemicals in farming
Inability to enforce
regulations and permit
conditions;
Limited awareness and
knowledge on environmental
hygiene
Unregulated peri-urban
irrigation practices
Limited awareness
about the impacts of
climate change and
variability;
Lack of integrated
flood management in
development planning
Inadequate coping
mechanisms for
climate change
Inadequate financing
of water resources
development and
management
Inadequate data and
information for planning;
Limited awareness and
knowledge
Inadequately trained and
motivated man power;
Inadequate financial
resources and logistics.
Weak capacity of
decentralized institutions
and civil society groups,
(MMDAs, CBOs, NGOs)
to perform river basin
management tasks
Fragmented
responsibilities and
inadequate coordination
of stakeholders’ roles
Inadequate effective
stakeholder participation
in water resources
planning, development
and management
Limited knowledge of
the ecological benefits
from the Tano-Aby
Lagoon systems
Lack of commitment
(political will) to
support joint
management of shared
water and other natural
resources;
Absence of specific
institutional and legal
frameworks for the
joint management of
the Aby lagoon-Tano
Basin systems
Cau
ses
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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- Improve Operation and
Maintenance of Existing
Water Infrastructures
- Improve Efficiency of
Water Use
- Build New Surface and
Groundwater
infrastructures to meet
Projected Demand up to
year 2025
- Increase Institutional
Capacity to Increase
Water Supply
- Promote Rainwater
Harvesting and use of
Underground Dams
- Initially Recover Cost for
O&M and later Attain
Full Cost Recovery
- `Create awareness and
sensitise stakeholders about
negative Impacts of Land
Degradation
- Provide incentives to change
behaviour and alternatives to
lost livelihoods
- Implement Buffer Zone
Policy
- Strengthen Institutional
Capacity to Enforce
Compliance with Regulations
- Support MMDAs to enact
Bye-Laws for enforcement of
environmental laws.
- Support MMDAs to
Rehabilitate, Expand and
Build New Waste Treatment
Facilities to meet increasing
demand
- Enforce Regulations on
Waste Management and
Pollution Control of Surface
and Groundwater Resources
- Strengthen Institutional
Capacity at all Levels for
Waste Management
- Develop and implement joint
transboundary pollution
control activities with Côte
d’Ivoire
- Monitor Climate
Elements and Create
Early Warning
Systems
- Promote Community
to National Level
Approach to Adapting
to Climate Chang
(Adapts)
- Develop Scenarios for
Extreme Water
Availability, their
impacts and develop
corresponding
strategies to adapt,
cope and achieve
Water Security
- Strengthen institutional
capacity for adaptation
- Create and Sustain
Awareness and Sensitize
Stakeholders on WRM
Problems, Issues and
Solutions
- Intensify Education and
Training at all Levels
- Set up Inter-sectoral
Collaboration and Co-
ordination Committees at
District Level
- Provide Logistics to
Enforce Regulations
- Develop GIS-Driven
Data and Information
Databases on the
Ecosystems, Socio-
Culture, Economics,
Water Cycle, Water
Supply Systems, etc.
- Carry out Research into
Technology
Development,
Adaptation, Etc.
- Monitor and Evaluate
- Formulate and
establish institutional
framework for the joint
management of the
Aby-Bia-Tano system
- Develop bilateral
agreements/protocols
with Côte d’Ivoire;
- Develop and
implement joint
IWRM actions with
Côte d’Ivoire
Adapted from: Nii Consult (August 2011), Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Tano Basin IWRM Plan
Act
ion
s to
ad
dre
ss t
he
issu
es
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5.0 OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC ACTIONS FOR THE TANO BASIN
5.1 Management objectives for the Tano Basin IWRM Plan
Taking into account the prioritised problems identified through the stakeholder consultative
processes (section 4.2) and their impacts on the freshwater and coastal resources, and on the
health of the ecosystem, the following IWRM objectives for the Tano Basin are envisaged:
i) To secure availability of water resources through sustainable water use;
ii) To ensure effective protection and regulation of land and water resources for water
security and ecosystem health;
iii) To mitigate people’s suffering and economic loss due to climate variability and change.
iv) To strengthen human and Institutional capacities to carry out key IWRM mandates
v) To promote transboundary cooperation in the management of shared water and coastal
lagoon systems with Côte d’Ivoire.
5.2 Strategic Actions
Each strategic objective is supported by a number of actions, which form the basis for the
basin plan. The strategies that are distilled from the actions identified by the stakeholders
(Table 4.1) will ensure delivery of these objectives. It is expected that WRC and the basin
board (TBB) will elaborate programmes for implementation in collaboration with the
communities and other key stakeholders (NGOs and CBOs).
Objective 1: To secure availability of water resources through sustainable water use
Water use efficiency in the sense of optimizing the benefits per unit water use is related to
domestic water supply and agricultural production under irrigated condition. There should
also be sufficient flow in rivers for ecosystem to flourish.
To secure water availability will involve reducing losses and encouraging more efficient
practices on the part of water users. Efficiency of water use should minimize water losses
during treatment, transport, storage and use. Reducing water loss involves aspects related to
design, construction and operation and maintenance of systems, as well as user attitudinal
change.
To facilitate the achievement of water use efficiency, the implementation of the water use
regulation needs to be enforced and well monitored. Large commercial users who require
permit to use water will be required to develop and submit to the TBB/WRC a Water
Management Plan in accordance with permit conditions. Large industrial or commercial users
who draw their water from urban supply systems and do not have to obtain a water use
permits will have to submit a water management plan as part of their Environmental
Management Plan.
The Tano Basin has a potential for the installation of rainwater harvesting systems as option
for water conservation and flood moderation. Flow or roof-water harvesting can be a means
of increasing local water supply and groundwater recharge whilst simultaneously alleviating
flooding problems in some areas. Construction of rainwater harvesting system could be made
mandatory for all schools, government buildings, new industries, etc. Clear guidelines for
roof water collection tanks and other cisterns, which can provide some initial retention of
storm water should be considered.
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Key actions to achieve this objective are:
- Support the development and enforcement of targets and benchmarks for efficient
water delivery by water use institutions (GWCL, CWSA and GIDA).
- Ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the water permitting regulations
- Promote Rainwater Harvesting for water conservation
The main responsibility for implementing actions that secure sustainable use and availability
of water falls on a number of different sectors, including GWCL (Urban Water supply),
CWSA (Rural Water supply), and MMDAs (improved sanitation), and GIDA (Irrigation
efficiency). Some initiatives by GWCL to minimize NRW and to gain on the efficiency are
being implemented through the installation of meters at government institutions in certain
municipalities. The key role of the Tano Basin Board is to secure water sources through
management of water use regulations and promoting water use efficiency.
Objective 2: To ensure effective protection and regulation of land and water resources for
water security and ecosystem health;
Degradation of catchments is resulting in siltation and drying up of the Tano River and its
tributaries, and the resulting water pollution is leading to eutrophication and the proliferation
of aquatic weeds, which may render water resources unsuitable for any use. Other
environmental challenges that may result from the decreasing water flow include:
Increasing pollution level due to concentration of nutriments during the low flow
period;
Loss of biodiversity in the aquatic ecosystems depleted by droughts;
Reduction of fish stocks in the rivers affected by seasonal drying;
Modification of coastal ecosystems due to the decrease of floods.
The WRC has formulated a buffer zone policy, which emphasises on water quality
conservation. Effective management of riparian buffer and adjourning landscapes will
encourage the restoration of natural habitats, species and natural sediment transport
processes, which will ensure that freshwater sources are protected. This will also help prevent
and reduce nutrient enrichment, where the excessive growth of algae and other plants reduces
overall biodiversity.
Improved Sanitation in its various forms could also play an important role in keeping the
integrity of both water and the environment. Unless the provision of sanitation services is
improved, water sources and the environment will in some cases suffer damage that is almost
impossible to reverse.
The key actions to deliver this objective include the following:
Create and sustain awareness on threats to water and other natural resources
Implement the Buffer Zone Policy so as to retard silting of streams and pollution of
water bodies
Support MMDAs to enact Bye-Laws for enforcement of regulations on environmental
management;
Set up effective water quality monitoring programme;
Promote integration of Tourism Development in the basin IWRM plans;
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
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The main responsibility for implementing the strategies to improve land management rest
with Forestry Commission, with greater collaboration from MOFA, MMDAs, EPA, Tourist
Board, NGOs and CBOs.
Objective 3: To mitigate people’s suffering and economic loss due to climate variability and
change
Climate Change and variability impacts are multi-sectoral issues. Promoting increased
awareness and resilience to climate change will demand measures to ensure that policies on
housing, energy, landscape, coastal protection, water services, agriculture and waste
management are aligned and contribute to optimal use of water resources, and ultimately
water security.
For resilience against expected floods and sea level rise, it could mean building protective
infrastructure (flood retention structures, sea defence walls, etc.) and towns’ planning that
restricts settlement in flood prone areas in the basin. In terms of land use, this could mean
developing green belts (buffer zones) along rivers and storm drains to replenish aquifers,
improve water quality, minimize flood risks and enhance the habitat.
To deliver the objective, the key actions envisaged include:
Creating and sustaining awareness on climate impacts (including dangers of settling
in flood prone areas)
Improve flood management through catchment conservation and protection so as to
retard surface run-off (Buffer Zone Policy implementation)
Support development of participatory disaster preparedness and management plans
Responsibility for implementing the actions rests with WRC/TBB and greater collaboration
from Chiefs and Communities’ Leaders, EPA, NADMO, MMDAs and other NGOs and
CBOs.
Objective 4: To strengthen human and Institutional capacities to carry out key IWRM
mandates
The institutional and human responsibilities envisaged under the IWRM-Basin Plan will
require extensive and long-term capacity building to ensure its effective implementation. In
particular, decentralisation entails the devolution of many governance responsibilities to the
TBB and the MMDAs. The TBB and their secretariat will have delegated responsibilities,
which imply the need for logistics and expertise (such as investigation of water use permit
applications, environmental data and pollution control, and implementation of actions on
river basin protection). There is the need therefore, to strengthen the managerial and technical
capacities at those levels.
Stakeholder participation is also very important for effective governance of the basin. The
communities know the environment in which they live and by sharing information, the TBB
can both be better informed, and take account of differing interests and perspectives.
Stakeholder participation can be initiated by distributing information to create awareness. The
TBB will establish a representative forum (Forum of Actors) to help to develop constructive
and trusting relationships between water resource managers and the public and civil society
groups, with the aim of forming a common vision and understanding of the TBB's role and
functions.
The key actions include the following:
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
38
Set-up effective basin institutions (Tano Basin Board, water users associations, forum
of Chiefs, etc.)
Provide Logistics for efficient running of the basin institutions (secretariat of TBB)
and enforcement of Regulations;
Support Education and Training in IWRM at all levels;
Facilitate the preparation of annual basin and community action programmes
(including plans for achieving “good water quality status”) for implementation;
Set up Inter-sectoral collaboration mechanism and Forum of local actors
Develop a comprehensive basin-level data and information management system;
Monitor and Evaluate annual action programmes;
The actions are intended to provide the basis for public engagement in the various aspects of
IWRM in the basin through co-operation, collaboration and agreement. They will target (a)
appropriate capacity needs, (b) the provision of opportunities for collaborative actions, and
(c) communication and access to information.
Objective 5: To promote transboundary cooperation in the management of shared water and
coastal lagoon systems with Côte d’Ivoire
Ghana is both an upstream riparian in respect of the Tano-Bia-Aby Lagoon system and a
downstream riparian, sharing rivers of the Volta Basin with Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte
d’Ivoire, Mali and Togo. Ghana needs to be concerned both about its vulnerabilities as a
downstream riparian and its responsibilities as an upstream riparian.
While Ghana is a signatory to the Convention setting up the Volta Basin Authority (VBA) for
the coordinated management of the water resources of the Volta Basin, nothing has been
planned by the two countries concerning the management of the Aby-Bia-Tano basin system.
Ghana must take a strategic approach to transboundary water cooperation, which is based on
improving its own water management while working toward bilateral and regional water
cooperation. With the establishment of the Tano Basin Board, the approach will be to develop
sound management of the freshwaters of the Tano River in Ghana while working towards
functional implementable bilateral agreement with Côte d’Ivoire.
Over the last decade, some actions have been initiated to promote transboundary cooperation,
especially in the White Volta Basin, and the lessons from those could guide the management
of the Tano. Other initiatives specific to Tano Basin are:
a) “Joint Management by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana of the coastal, lagoon and river
system Aby-Bia-Tano”
The project concept proposed in 2003 with technical support of the UNEP
Collaborating Centre on Water and Environment (UCC-Water), was based on the
Integrated Coastal Area and River basin Management (ICARM) application. It aimed
at establishing a joint management framework for the Aby-Bia-Tano system by
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to address the transboundary challenges in the basin.
b) “Trans-boundary Community Water Management Development Project”
The 500,000-US dollars project aimed at supporting sustainable use and management
of the natural resources of the Tano River Basin on the Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
border was initiated in 2007. The 3-year project was funded by USAID and the Coca
Cola Company International. It was implemented by CARE International and
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39
involved the construction of boreholes and latrines, building capacity of local
communities on how to maintain them and educating school children on improved
hygiene practices.
In addition to the cross-cutting actions under objectives 1-4 above, other targeted strategies to
address the transboundary concerns include the following:
- Formulate and establish institutional framework for the joint management of the Aby-
Bia-Tano system;
- Develop bilateral agreements/protocols with Côte d’Ivoire;
- Develop and implement joint IWRM actions with Côte d’Ivoire.
Responsibility for implementing the actions rests with WRC/TBB and greater collaboration
from MWRWH, MFA, EPA, MMDAs and NGOs.
An overview of the Tano Basin IWRM Plan is presented in Table 5.1
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
Table 5. 1: Overview of the basin IWRM Planning framework ID
Thematic Area Strategic Objective Key Actions Implementing Entities (Lead
Agency + Collaborators)
1. Water use
efficiency and
conservation
To secure
availability of water
resources through
sustainable water
use.
1.1: Support the development and implementation of targets and benchmarks for efficient
water delivery by water use institutions (GWCL, CWSA and GIDA).
1.2: Enforce and monitor the water use permitting regulations
1.3: Promote Rainwater Harvesting and use of Underground Dams for water conservation
TBB/WRC + MWRWH,
GWCL, CWSA, GIDA, NGOs
2. Catchment
Protection and
Water Quality
Conservation
Ensure effective
protection of land
and conservation of
water resources
2.1: Create and sustain awareness on the value of water as a scarce resource, and threats to
water and other natural resources
2.2: Implement the Buffer Zone Policy so as to retard silting of streams and pollution of
water bodies
2.3: Support MMDAs to enact Bye-Laws for enforcement of regulations on water and
environmental management
2.4:Set up effective monitoring and assessment of water resource availability and use, and
resource quality
2.5: Promote integration of Tourism Development in the basin IWRM work programmes to
boost local economies;
TBB + MMDAs, Chiefs and
Communities’ Leaders,
Forestry, EPA, HSD, WRI,
Media, Tourist Authority,
MOFA, Chamber of Mines,
NGOs..
3. Adaptation to
Climate Change
impacts;
Mitigate people’s
suffering and
economic loss due
to climate variability
and change.
3.1: Raise public awareness on climate impacts (including dangers of settling in flood prone
areas)
3.2: Improve flood management through catchment conservation and protection so as to
retard surface run-off (part of 2.2)
3.3: Support development of participatory disaster preparedness and management
programmes
3.4: Strengthen basin-level information dissemination to facilitate adaptation (e.g. Early
Warning Systems).
TBB/WRC + NADMO, EPA,
HSD, WRI, MMDAs, Forestry,
MOFA, NGOs, Chiefs and
Communities’ Leaders.
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
4. Institutional and
Human
Resources
Capacity
Development
Strengthen Human
and Institutional
capacities to carry
out key IWRM
mandates
4.1: Set-up effective basin institutions (Tano basin Board, water users associations, forum
of Chiefs, etc.)
4.2: Provide Logistics for efficient running of the basin institutions (secretariat of TBB) and
enforcement of Regulations ;
4.3: Support Education and Training in IWRM at all Levels
4.4. Facilitate the preparation of annual basin and community work programmes for
implementation
4.5: Set up Inter-sectoral collaboration mechanism and Forum of local actors
4.6: .Coordinate the development of a detailed basin-level data and information
management system (e.g. functioning web site for TBB).
4.7: Monitor and Evaluate annual basin work programmes
WRC/TBB + MMDAs, GES,
KNUST, NGOs, Chiefs and
Communities’ Leaders
5. Transboundary
Water
Governance
To promote
transboundary
cooperation in the
management of
shared water and
coastal lagoon
systems with Côte
d’Ivoire
5.1: Formulate and establish institutional framework for the joint management of the Aby-
Bia-Tano system;
5.2: Develop bilateral agreements/protocols with Côte d’Ivoire;
5.3: Develop and implement joint IWRM actions with Côte d’Ivoire.
5.4: Build/strengthen national capacity for transboundary water management.
WRC/TBB
+ MWRWH, MMDAs, MFA,
CIAPOL (Centre Ivoirien Anti-
pollution)
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6: MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BASIN PLAN
6.1 Operational Structure
The plan for the basin (Table 5.1) already identifies the organizations that should lead and
those that should be actively engaged in implementation of the basin actions. The overall
oversight coordination is provided by the WRC at the national level, while the Tano Basin
Board (TBB) carries out the practical implementation of basin plan with the assistance of
other stakeholders (see Figure 1.1)
For starters, WRC will setup the TBB, and will be constituted as follows:
(a) A chairperson appointed by the WRC,
(b) A representative of the WRC,
(c) One person representing each of the following organizations and institutions within the
basin.
i) Representatives of MMDAs.
ii) A Representative of Regional Coordinating Council (Brong Ahafo Region)
iii) A representative each of Regulatory Institutions in charge of Mining, Forest,
Environment
iv) A Representative each of major water users (Domestic water supply, Agriculture
and Mining)
v) A representative of Traditional Ruler
vi) A Representative of Civil Society Groups active in the sub-basin.
vii) A Representative of Women groups
A Basin Officer appointed by the WRC to head the Tano Basin Secretariat will act as
Secretary to the TBB.
6.2 Gender Mainstreaming
A gender approach in water resources management is based on the rationale that, men and
women have differences with respect to needs, interests, opportunities and power. Women
play a key role in local water management – they have considerable knowledge of water
sources, availability, quality, and conservation techniques. It is women who carry the burden
of water collection, and who perform most water-related activities (bathing children, cooking,
tending crops, watering livestock and washing clothes). Water management schemes in the
past that have excluded women or have not empowered women to actively participate, have
often failed. Reasons for this include cultural dictates, lack of awareness on the part of
authorities and development agencies, and lack of communication skills and confidence on
the part of the women in the community to express their needs.
During the plan implementation process, both men and women will be active participants and
women will not be viewed as passive recipients or as a vulnerable group along with children
and the handicapped. Women will therefore be encouraged to take up leadership positions in
the implementation of the Tano Basin Plan.
Water Resources Commission Tano Basin IWRM Plan
43
6.3 Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan implementation
To assist in monitoring, evaluation and reporting on progress in the implementation of the
basin plan, the TBB secretariat will be supported to prepare a comprehensive monitoring and
evaluation (M&E) plan as a deliverable (4.7) of this IWRM plan.
The general internal progress monitoring tools for this plan will be the half-yearly progress
reports and annual reports to be compiled by the TBB secretariat and presented at the regular
TBB meetings