Comparative evaluation of water resource data policy inventories towards the improvement of East African climate and water data infrastructure

Authors: GARIBAY, VICTORIA - Purdue University; GITAU, MARGARET - Purdue University; KONGO, VICTOR - Sokoine University Of Agriculture; KISEKKA, JAMES - Makerere University; Moriasi, Daniel

Submitted to: Water Resources Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2022
Publication Date: 7/29/2022
Citation: Garibay, V.M., Gitau, M.W., Kongo, V., Kisekka, J., Moriasi, D.N. 2022. Comparative evaluation of water resource data policy inventories towards the improvement of East African climate and water data infrastructure. Water Resources Management. 36:4019-4038. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-022-03231-z.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-022-03231-z

Interpretive Summary: Meteorology, water quantity, and water quality data play critical roles in water resources planning for rural and urban applications. Lack of essential data infrastructure in the East African countries, both physical (e.g. monitoring stations) and intangible (e.g. databases, processes, policies, and guidelines) leads to ineffective data dissemination for these applications. We studied aspects of water resources policies and distribution infrastructure that determine whether or not a user will be able to freely and readily access existing raw data and associated products. A quantitative analysis was applied on the information contained in legislation, official documents and websites, and similar textual resources from the study region and other countries including the USA to establish commonalities, potential trends, and patterns in the documentation behind data streams culminating in a successful portal or database accessibility by the public and to diagnose impediments in the path between data collection and its application. The study indicated that a clear specification of the organization in charge of a given data type, knowledge of where the data is stored, a clear definition of data collection format, and a commitment to a plan for making data available to potential users led to most accessible data streams. The results further showed that without a documented plan or commitment to make data available online, rarely results in a functioning and accessible portal. The knowledge gained from this study has the potential to contribute towards the development and refinement of policies so that more emphasis is placed on openness and access, leading to informed decision-making and management of water resources in this and other regions across the world.

Technical Abstract: The recognized challenge of freely accessing climate and water data in East Africa poses a problem in undertaking relevant analytical studies and making informed water resources management decisions in the region. This study seeks to understand the defining characteristics of policies and distribution infrastructure, in the context of meteorological, water quantity, and water quality data, that determine whether or not a user will be able to freely and readily access existing data. An analysis was developed to quantify the information contained in legislation, official documents and websites, and similar textual resources from the study region and elsewhere to establish commonalities, potential trends, and patterns in the documentation behind data streams culminating successfully in a portal or database accessible by the public. A quantitative analysis was applied to discern overall patterns in what constitutes effective policy and to diagnose where there may be impediments in the path between data collection and its application. Generally, the foundational elements present in the documentation pertaining to most accessible data streams represented are: 1) known organization in charge of that data type; 2) known location where this data would be stored; 3) defined data collection format; and 4) commitment to a plan for making data available to potential users. Examination of overlap between elements absent in unsuccessful data streams and present in successful data streams suggests that those without a documented plan or commitment to make data available online rarely result in a functioning and accessible portal and vice versa. Amongst other findings, this knowledge has the potential to contribute towards the development and refinement of policies so that more emphasis is placed on openness and access, leading to informed decision-making and management of water resources.