Guideline: Community-based hydroclimate monitoring: planning, establishing and operating

Working paper

This document provides the first guideline to inform community-based monitoring (CBM) implementation in Ethiopia. It has been developed following citizen science research in Ethiopia since March 2014, where multiple study sites have had CBM implemented using an iterative process leading to continual improvement of the methodology. In addition, the manual considers successful CBM in India, the UK and South Africa which have informed and been informed by the Ethiopia research.

It is recognised under the World Bank funded Sustainable Land Management (SLM) programmes and Resilient Landscape and Livelihood Project (RLLP) that monitoring of water resources is required. However, the micro-watersheds involved in the projects are not covered by the formal hydroclimate monitoring network. This manual has been produced specifically to guide the planning, establishing and running of community-based hydroclimate monitoring at SLM/RLLP microwatersheds in Ethiopia, but may be useful for other organisations, projects, and locations where CBM may be beneficial.

This guideline is aimed at technical staff involved in introducing CBM such as researchers, development agents and woreda (district) level experts. The purpose of the guideline is to present step by step procedures on how to plan, establish and operate CBM.

Authors: Walker, D; Haile, AT; Gowing, J; Legesse, Y; Gebrehawariat, G

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: University of Oxford
• Series: REACH Working Paper
• Publication date: 2019-05-30
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-8jnwm2zdb
• Paper number: 5
• Language: English
• Keywords: water security; groundwater development; role of women; participatory approaches; decision making; empowerment; 201880; citizen participation; REACH programme; wells; women’s participation; equity; water resources; water use; Ethiopia; community involvement; water management; natural resources management; water governance; sustainability; water availability; monitoring; groundwater management