News
December 2011 GLOWS TWB-MRB newsletter
Please find, below, a link to the latest issue of the GLOWS TWB-MRB newsletter, MaraUmoja. This issue includes several contributions, including the announcement of the expansion of Environmental Flow Assessment (EFA) studies on the Mara River. Additionally, there are notes on some key milestones made under the TWB-MRB project including the establishment of an important legal agreement for the Mara River Water Users Association (MRWUA). Enjoy this latest issue.
28 October
On 24 – 28 October 2011 within USAID program INRMW (Integrated Natural Resources Management in Watersheds of Georgia) the GLOWS' Consortium in composition of FIU - Georgia and UNESCO–IHE organized a 5-day training on Water Safety Planning in Tbilisi, Georgia. The articale can be read here Press Release N4, 28 October WSP Training
20-22 September
On 20-22 September 2011 within USAID Program INRMW the GLOWS' Consortium organized 3-day workshop on identification of priority environmental and natural resources management problems at Ambrolauri and Oni municipalities of Ratcha region.
The news release can be found Press Release N3, 23 September Priority Identification Problem In Ratcha
19-20 September
On 19-20 September, 2011 within USAID program INRMW (Integrated Natural Resources Management in Watersheds of Georgia) the GLOWS' Consortium, in composition of FIU-Georgia and CARE International visited EcoClubs of Ratcha Municipality.
The news release can be found Press Release N2, 21 September EcoClubs in Ratcha
The EcoClubs' awarding ceremony went with success on 26 August at Lagokhi Protected Areas
On 26 August, 2011 at the Lagodekhi Protected Area, the USAID program INRMW (Integrated Natural Resources Management in Watersheds of Georgia), Implemented by the GLOWS' Consortium organized EcoClubs' award ceremony.
More information is available :
Press Release Press Release N1, 26 August EcoCamps
The information broadcasted on main TV Channels is uploaded on the Facebook of the Ministry of Environment Protection of Georgia FaceBook
Articles were published in English language newspapers.
Messenger http://messenger.com.ge/issues/2432_august_31_2011/2432_camp.html
Georgia Today http://georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=9424
New scientific paper on Mara flow responses to land use and climate change
Hydrology and Earth Systems Sciences, an international access journal for the publication of original research in hydrology, has recently published the article, Land use and climate change impacts on the hydrology of the upper Mara River Basin, Kenya: results of a modeling study to support better resource management. The paper is a strong scientific endorsement for the work supported by the Global Water for Sustainability (GLOWS) program in this region, through the USAID funded "Trans-boundary Water for Biodiversity and Human Health in the Mara River Basin Project"(TWB–MRB), implemented in Kenya and Tanzania.
The article focuses on the importance of the Mara River Basin in Kenya and how simulated responses of flow in the Nyangores River Basin can be linked to scenarios of land use and climate change. The authors, L. M. Mango, A. M. Melesse, M. E. McClain, D. Gann, and S. G. Setegn, discuss how the Mara River Basin "has become increasingly erratic" and difficult for researchers to completely understand. They also draw attention to how the basin has been "impacted by widespread human activities such as deforestation and subsequent cultivation of land."
The article continues on to state that water is a critical resource for life and it is "essential to development of agriculture, industry, power generation, livestock production, and other important economic activities." The Mara River Basin being the "sole source of surface water to the landscape during the dry season and periods of drought" is of extreme importance for the survival of a myriad of species. The article suggests cautionary models and new ideas for changes in water resource planning and management.
This article represents the scientific research done by the WRMA, LVBC, WWF, and others to protect the Mau Forest and to improve soil conservation practices in agricultural areas. The GLOWS Consortium is led by Florida International University and includes CARE, WaterAid America, Winrock International, World Vision, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). GLOWS works on-the-ground to implement water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, improve water management practices, and build local capacity.
Full article can be found on the Hydrology and Earth System Sciences webpage.
June 2011 GLOWS TWB-MRB newsletter
This issue highlights the work of one our partner organizations, CARE Tanzania, as they try to expand community involvement in water provision. You will also find other updates on the project, news from around the Mara Basin, and notes on other key global developments in water resource management.
GLOWS program to bring sustainable water to Rwanda
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded FIU's Global Water for Sustainability Program (GLOWS) a five-year, $21.9 million grant for a project dubbed Rwanda Integrated Water Security Program. The program is designed to positively impact human health, food security, and resiliency to climate change for vulnerable populations in Rwanda by improving the sustainable management of water quantity and quality.
Full article can be found on the FIU NEWS webpage.
