High-resolution river flow data to strengthen water security in Africa

Akpoti, Komlavi; Velpuri, Naga Manohar; Leh, Mansoor; Owusu, Afua; Mekonnen, Kirubel; Tadesse, Mulugeta; Seid, Abdulkarim

High-resolution river flow data to strengthen water security in Africa

Autores

Akpoti, Komlavi

Velpuri, Naga Manohar

Editor

International Water Management Institute

Descripción

Reliable river flow information is fundamental to water security planning, yet much of Africa remains constrained by sparse and uneven hydrometric observations. VegDischarge v1 (AfriDischarge v1) addresses this critical gap by providing a high-resolution, continent-wide river discharge dataset that enables consistent assessment of surface water availability across Africa. Developed through the integration of the USGS VegET hydrological model with the mizuRoute river routing framework, the dataset delivers monthly and annual discharge estimates for the period 2001–2021 across more than 64,000 river segments. VegDischarge v1 supports water resource assessments at continental, basin, and national scales, with applications spanning water accounting, climate resilience planning, agricultural water management, and infrastructure development, including hydropower screening. The dataset underpins analytical work within IWMI’s Digital Innovation for Water Secure Africa (DIWASA) program, demonstrating its value for both research and policy-oriented decision-making. An interactive AfriDischarge Dashboard further enhances accessibility by enabling map-based exploration, visualization of discharge time series and climatologies, and straightforward data downloads. Building on this foundation, VegDischarge v2 is under development and will expand coverage to over 600,000 river segments, substantially improving spatial detail and analytical potential. Together, these advances represent a major step toward strengthening evidence-based water management and long-term water security across Africa.