P R O F . P A S C A L N K U R U N Z I Z A , B U R U N D I
U N I V E R S I T Y , O L D N I L E









CONTEXT OF THE STUDY
OBJECTIVS OF THE STUDY
GEOGRAPHIE POSITION
WATER RESOURCE SITUATION IN BURUNDI
BURUNDI’S WATER RESOURCE IN THE FRAMEWORK
OF THE NILE BASIN
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER DEMAND IN BURUNDI
CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCE
IN BURUNDI AND IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE NILE
SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON BURUNDI’S WATER
MANAGEMENT ( IWRM)

 FRAMEWORK OF THE NILE BASIN
RESEARCH PROGRAM
 COORDONATOR OF THE PROGRAM: DR
RUNNER NIELSEN
 RESEARCH COORDONATOR : PROF. TERJE
TVEDT.






Threats on the Nil River
Hydrology situation
Utilization
Impact of climate change
Burundi and the Nil (KBO)



Only the Anglo-Belgian treaty (1934) retained the attention of independent Burundi. This treaty aimed to regulate the sharing of the Kagera river between the
(British) Tanganyika Territory and (Belgian) Rwanda-
Urundi.
This treaty stipulated that:
” The Water diverted from a part of the watercourse situated wholly within either territory shall be returned without substantial reduction to its natural bed at some point before such water course flows into the other territory or at some point before such watercourse forms the common boundary.”

Groundwater
23%
Evapo transpiration
69%
Surface water
8%




Lake Tanganyika : constitutes the biggest reserve of fresh water worldwide (18,900 km 3 ).
Lake Cohoha (59 sq km): 5 bcm
Lake Rweru (91 sq km) : 3.7 bcm.

WATER SUPPLY PER BASIN
Kagera 3,155
Km 2
912 bcm
NIL BASIN (Kagera S/B)
NIL BASIN (Ruvubu S/B)
Ruvubu 10,063
Km 2
3,420 bcm
TOTAL
NIL
BASIN
13,218
Km 2
4,532 bcm
CONGO BASIN ( Malagarazi S/B)
CONGO BASIN (Rusizi & Tanganyika S/B)
Malagar azi
Rusizi
5262
Km 2
2.684
Km 2
1.607 bcm
1.672 bcm
Tangan yika
TOTAL
CONGO
BASIN
3.871
Km 2
11.817
Km 2
2.450 bcm
5.729 bcm
TOTAL RENEWABLE WATER PER YEAR: 10.061 bcm

PROJECTION OF DRINKWATER DEMAND AND
WATER SUPPLY
 With a population growth of 3%, the amount of drinking water needed in urban areas doubles every ten years. From 22 mcm in 1990, consumption reached 40 mcm in 2000 and is expected to reach 70 mcm in 2010. In rural areas, the growth rate of demand for drinking water is
58% every ten years. Demand increased from 170 mcm in 1990 to 293 mcm in the year 2000 and may reach 434 mcm in 2010.

PROJECTION OF DRINKWATER DEMAND AND
WATER SUPPLY
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Decrease of water per person in m 3
Water shortage (<1000 m3/year/inhab.)
/year/inh.
Increase of the population (X10
Water Stress (< 1700 m3/an/hab.)
4 )

EVOLUTION OF UNDRINKABLE WATER DEMAND
PER SECTOR
Hydropower
Industry
Livestock
545
544
488
958
683
546
Marshes
Irrigation
0
35830
57717
39054
45275
14153
24024
22274
20000 40000 60000
WATER DEMAND IN LITERS/SECOND
67380
67380
80000
2010
2000
1995




Marshlands cover 120,000 ha, or 4.3% of the total surface of
Burundi (lakes excluded). Marshes play an important role during the long dry season (July-September), as sponges that store water and retain fine mineral material eroded from surrounding hills.
What is the status of the marshes today? Rapid population growth (3%) has increased pressure on cultivable land, especially on marshland. Since 1990, marsh cultivation has increased from about 50% to almost 100%.
Marshes are very sensitive ecosystems. Water is almost at the same level with the surface and uncontrolled cultivation can generate incommensurable ecological imbalances. The outcome may be the total drying out of the marsh and the loss of cultivable land.

 In 1994 the hydroelectric potential of Burundi was estimated at 1,371 MW. But in terms of technical feasibility, only 300 MW could be achievable.
 In 1997 the installed capacity of electrical power was
43 MW, 32 of which came from hydroelectric dams, the rest from thermal power.
 Hydroelectric production represents only 0.6% of the country’s power.

 Firewood and charcoal account for 95%.
 Consumption of charcoal is about 2.9 kg per inhabitant per day.
 Exploitation of peat reserves, estimated at 100 million tons (with 57 million exploitable) might slow deforestation. At present only one company exploits peat, producing no more than 12,000 tons a year or a miniscule 0.04% of the energy consumed in Burundi.
By comparison, imported oil products represent
2.5% of the total energy consumed.



Burundi covers 6% of the total surface area of the
Nile basin countries and represent 22% within the Kagera basin area.
75% of the Burundian marshlands are located in the
Kagera basin. These represent an important reserve of water and help feed local populations through agriculture. The Ruvubu river contributes 2.6 mcm of water to the flow of the While Nile. Since we know that the White Nile represents 14% of the total water of the
Nile (84 bcm), we have an idea of the importance of the
Ruvubu. In fact, 22% of the average annual flow of the
White Nile comes from Burundi.

Résultat 9.
Renforcement des capacités
Processus de planification de GIRE proprement dit
Résultat 4.
Problèmes et défis de la gestion des RE
Résultat 3.
Connaissance de l’existant
Résultat 5.
Fonctions de gestion des RE
Résultat 7.
Plan d’action
GIRE élaboré
Résultat 8.
Plan d’action
GIRE adopté
Résultat 6.
Opportunités et contraintes
Résultat 10.
Portefeuille de projets et plan de financement
Objectif national de planification de la GIRE
Résultat 2.
Cadre de participation des acteurs





Burundi is not running short of water, what Burundi lacks are the technology and expertise to meet the needs of its population for drinkable water, irrigation, and hydroelectric production.
Burundi need to cooperate with all Nil basin countries in particular in Energy production and in protection of the
Environment.
To manage its water, Burundi have to apply the IWRM in its all components (Legal, institutional and technical organisation).
The research must be a priority to go forward in this water resource management.