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WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION TANO RIVER BASIN - Integrated Water Resources Management Plan October 2012

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Page 1: TANO RIVER BASINdoc.wrc-gh.org/pdf/Tano Basin IWRM Plan.pdf · the Dayi River and Pra River Basins during the period 2007-2012. The Tano River Basin IWRM Plan is the sixth of its

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION

TANO RIVER BASIN -

Integrated Water Resources Management Plan

October 2012

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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).

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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

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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)

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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)

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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;

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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

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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)

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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).

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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).

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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

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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;

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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:

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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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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

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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.

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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.

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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