Case Study: USAID improves water data management in Tanzania with Aquatic Informatics AQUARIUS

Socio-Economic Development of Wami-Ruvu & Rufiji Basins

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its WARIDI initiative, faced the challenge of securing sustainable water access in Tanzania’s stressed Wami-Ruvu and Rufiji basins. They needed reliable water data to support socio-economic development and manage resources effectively but were hindered by time-consuming manual data collection and the difficulty of accessing remote hydrometric stations. To address this, USAID worked with vendor Aquatic Informatics to implement the AQUARIUS software for time series data management and analytics.

Aquatic Informatics provided the solution by enabling the automated collection and processing of data from newly installed hydrometric instruments. The AQUARIUS software allowed hydrologists to create accurate rating curves using a robust conceptual model that required far less field data, exemplified by the successful re-establishment of a 40-year flow record for the vital Kizigo River from a single modern measurement. This substantially increased data accuracy and confidence, turning previously inadequate information into a reliable basis for critical water management and power generation planning.

USAID

Bigambo Nandiga

Civil Engineer and Water Resources