Towards Integrated and Sustainable Water Management in Water-scarce Arid Environments: Case of Sudan

Abstract

In water-scarce arid region, integrated strategy for water resources management is critically needed to cope with water scarcity and the ever increasing demand and pressure on water resources induced by lessened rains, warming climate tendencies, population growth, and environmental sustainability considerations. In Sudan, despite the “relative” abundance of multi-sourced water quantities, yet the spatiotemporal variations adversely affect water availability and accessibility to the population majority in various arid and semiarid parts of country. Water deficit hampers achieving the socioeconomic development, especially in the concurrent climate change, large-scale transboundary river damming, conflicts over water resources, growing population, and economy contexts. Efficiently addressing of these issues and enhancing water resources management strategies are imperative necessities. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) approaches and GIS techniques can together improve decision-making and sustainable management strategies in these changing climatic and hydrological systems. IWRM as inclusive framework and participatory approach while GIS represents spatial analysis tool for water resource monitoring, vulnerability assessment, planning for addressing demands, and adaptation alongside accounting for population growth and climate change. This chapter discusses the state of water resources, efforts for efficient management, and prospects of enhancement in Sudan, to attain sustainability amidst the recently changing physical and anthropogenic environments.