Availability

Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources,
Middle East Peace Process
Second World Water Forum, 17-22 March 2000, The Hague

Enhancement of Water Data Availability

Regional Water Data Banks Project

Gaging station on the Upper Jordan River.

The Implementation Plan of the Regional Water Data Banks Project was approved in November 1994. Regional participants met with representatives from the United States, European Union, Canada, and France (Donor Parties) in January 1995 to initiate the project. The first action was to form a committee to manage, coordinate, and promote project implementation. The committee formed during the meeting is known as the Executive Action Team (EXACT) and is composed of two members from each regional party and two representatives from each Donor Party.

EXACT has since met twice every year to plan, coordinate, and direct project implementation. The Regional Water Data Banks Project is organized to improve the availability and applicability of water data information. The project is implementing 39 recommendations applicable to all of the regional participants, plus Work Package A, which is designed to help establish a Palestinian water data bank. These activities and Work Package A will upgrade existing data banks while creating one for the Palestinians in order to assure that all of the systems can function effectively in a regional setting. The project goal is to enable the exchange of consistent, compatible, and reliable water data and information to support decision making at both local and regional scales. The basic approach adopted for the project is that water data collection and dissemination programs are compatible and will meet the specific needs of the regional participants. Through this process and approach, regional sharing and exchange of relevant water information will be promoted and enhanced.

As a result of continuous collaborative work since January 1995, the Regional Water Data Banks Project has achieved some remarkable successes, a few of which are listed below.

Photograph, see caption in table

Water from the Dead Sea is pumped into large evaporation ponds constructed in the shallow southern basin for the extraction of various salts for commercial use.

Water data collection, storage, and retrieval capabilities have been established within the Palestinian Water Authority and those of the Israeli Hydrological Service and the Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation were improved and enhanced.
Mobile labs, computer equipment, and advanced software all were donated to the regional participants within a coordinated, compatible framework.
Manuals, standards, and a variety of training programs have been implemented.
Relevant, interconnected projects have been developed and are being implemented jointly, and discussions are underway for future collaborative work.
Theoretical and practical frameworks for future participation have been laid.

The regional participants continue to dedicate both human and financial resources to establish compatible water data collection and dissemination programs and to adhere to agreed-upon regional standards for equipment, accuracy, and operations. New activities that are expect-ed to commence in the year 2000 include:

Real-time transmission of hydrologic data.
Joint training of technicians.
Enhancements to networks and laboratories.
Pilot projects looking at artificial recharge of groundwater and waste water treatment for small communities.
Regional analysis of rainfall intensity.

The Water Data Banks Project has a web site located at: http://exact-me.org

Table of Contents

Introduction

Availability

Management

Supply

Regional

Future

Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources, Middle East Peace Process

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