The close collaboration between different stakeholders through a participatory approach has allowed the creation of a functional standardized management system for hydrogeological data specifically designed for low-income African countries. Its potential to better support the management of groundwater resources is presented here using Guinea-Bissau as a case study. The proposed data management system integrates the existing digital centralized national water points geodatabase (mWater) with two other tools capable of (i) organizing, codifying, and processing hydrogeological data (TANGAFRIC) and (ii) spatially interpreting lithological data (spMC). This workflow has been born of the need of local authorities for a hydrogeological database with standardized attributes (e.g., lithological terms), allowing the extraction and processing of the values of hydrogeological parameters. A key aspect of the participatory approach used has been the direct involvement of local authorities in data verification and standardization, following training programs. While the primary users of this data management system are expected to be local authorities, the databases produced can also be used by non-government organization technicians, hydrogeological consultants, and academic researchers for a variety of applications. The potential of the proposed hydrogeological data management system has been demonstrated through a pilot study where spatial interpretation of lithological data and interpretation of hydrogeological features have allowed a preliminary hydrogeological conceptual model to be constructed of an area affected by high iron concentrations and salinity. The proposed workflow represents a significant step forward in hydrogeological data management for Guinea-Bissau and could be easily replicated in other low-income African countries with similar constraints.
Developing a hydrogeological data management system with a participatory approach for supporting sustainable groundwater use in low-income countries: the case of Guinea-Bissau (West Africa)
Marcolla A.
;Fabbri P.;
2025
Abstract
The close collaboration between different stakeholders through a participatory approach has allowed the creation of a functional standardized management system for hydrogeological data specifically designed for low-income African countries. Its potential to better support the management of groundwater resources is presented here using Guinea-Bissau as a case study. The proposed data management system integrates the existing digital centralized national water points geodatabase (mWater) with two other tools capable of (i) organizing, codifying, and processing hydrogeological data (TANGAFRIC) and (ii) spatially interpreting lithological data (spMC). This workflow has been born of the need of local authorities for a hydrogeological database with standardized attributes (e.g., lithological terms), allowing the extraction and processing of the values of hydrogeological parameters. A key aspect of the participatory approach used has been the direct involvement of local authorities in data verification and standardization, following training programs. While the primary users of this data management system are expected to be local authorities, the databases produced can also be used by non-government organization technicians, hydrogeological consultants, and academic researchers for a variety of applications. The potential of the proposed hydrogeological data management system has been demonstrated through a pilot study where spatial interpretation of lithological data and interpretation of hydrogeological features have allowed a preliminary hydrogeological conceptual model to be constructed of an area affected by high iron concentrations and salinity. The proposed workflow represents a significant step forward in hydrogeological data management for Guinea-Bissau and could be easily replicated in other low-income African countries with similar constraints.
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