Projects
ORASECOM has several donor organisations that support the Commission’s mandate through focussed research and development projects. Below are lists of these projects or initiatives since the establishment of the Commission. The lists provide the names and a short summary of each project or initiative and links to more information. The codes for each project or initiative are used for file naming conventions of documents and data from the project.
The lists are split into Donor-Funded Projects/Initiatives and Basin State and Other Projects.
Donor-Funded Projects
| Project/ Initiative Code | Approx Start Year | Project/ Initiatives Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAPI | 2019 | Support to the Orange-Senqu River Strategic Action Programme Implementation Project | The overall objective of this project is the strengthening of joint management capacity for implementation of the basin-wide IWRM Plan and demonstrating environmental and socioeconomic benefits of ecosystem-based approach to water resources management through the implementation of SAP priority actions in the Orange-Senqu River basin. Although it is not realistic to separate the IWRM Plan into distinct components, it is fair to say that the SAP largely represents the environmental component of the overall IWRM Plan. |
| CRIP | 2019 | Preparation of Climate Resilient Water Resources Investment Strategy and Plan | The IWRM Plan provides a strategic transboundary water resources management framework and action areas and serves as a guiding and planning tool for achieving the long-term development goals in the basin. During this project, a Climate Resilient Water Resources Investment Plan was developed with a Road Map for the implementation plan. |
| LBWT | 2019 | Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Multipurpose Transboundary Project | The developmental goal of the project is to promote sustainable socio-economic growth in the four riparian countries through climate-resilient water resources development in the framework of Basin wide cooperation. The L-BWT scheme will supply water for domestic, agriculture and industrial usage to Botswana through a 700 km water conveyance pipeline, to Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa from a dam on Makhaleng River which was originally part of the Lesotho Lowlands Water Supply Scheme. The Project will transfer water to Botswana, while supplying various users in Lesotho and South Africa. The feasibility studies are exploring a large dam that will also generate electricity, supply Bloemfontein and enable irrigation for Lesotho. |
| TBA | 2018 | Improving Groundwater Knowledge in Selected Transboundary Aquifers | The importance of groundwater has generally been understated in the past. Since its inception ORASECOM has made efforts to resolve this, but it is only in recent years that the significance of groundwater at the regional and basin wide level is being given due consideration. This project focussed on improving the knowledge of two of the Transboundary Aquifer Systems in the Orange-Senqu River Basin, i.e. Khakhea/Bray and the Karoo Sedimentary Aquifers. |
| SAP | 2012 | Orange-Senqu Strategic Action Programme | The Orange-Senqu Strategic Action Programme (SAP) is a negotiated document that provides a basin-wide framework for the implementation of a prioritised set of national and joint transboundary actions and investments for addressing jointly agreed priority environmental concerns in the Orange-Senqu river basin. The SAP is endorsed at political (Ministerial) level and together with the related National Action Plans (NAPs) of the four basin states provides a basis for the implementation of SAP priority actions at national and basin level and the integration of transboundary and basin concerns into national legislative, policy and budget decision making processes. |
| IWRMP_Ph3 | 2011 | Support to Phase 3 of the ORASECOM Basin-wide Integrated Water Resources Management Plan | The development of the Orange-Senqu River Basin-Wide Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (IWRMP) has been divided into three phases. Phase I was implemented between 2004 and 2007, Phase 2 was implemented between 2009 and 2011 and Phase 3 was implemented between 2012 and 2014. The overall objective of the ORASECOM basin-wide IWRM Plan and agreed to provide a framework for sustainable development and management of the water resources, taking into account the need for improved distribution and equitable allocation of benefits, in order to contribute towards socio-economic upliftment of communities within the basin, and ensure future water security for the basin States. For more information please read here. |
| IWRMP_Ph2 | 2009 | Support to Phase 2 of the ORASECOM Basin-wide Integrated Water Resources Management Plan | |
| OR_IWRMP | 2004 | Orange River Integrated Water Resources Management Plan - Aka Support to Phase 1 of the IWRMP | |
| EC_SADC | 2008 | African Transboundary River Basin Support Programme Case of the Orange-Senqu River. | The European Union (EU) provides project support to ORASECOM aimed atstrengthening ORASECOM as an Institution and building its capacity to deliver on its mandate.To do this, the support programme is undertaking a number of studies aimed at helping ORASECOM to clarify the form and extent of its technical advisory role, and the scope and nature of the Basin Wide Plan. This includes working with the organisation to identify appropriate institutional form and functions, an analysis of the legal mandate and how this aligns with SADC wide and existing bilateral arrangements. |
| FGEF | 2008 | Various projects including capacity building and feasibility studies | The French Global Environment Facility (FGEF) provided support to strengthen the capacities and experience of ORASECOM, through the implementation of concrete actions by the establishment of project implementation unit (PIU) as an interim body until permanent secretary for ORASECOM was in place. The PIU was to apply the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in its supervision of project implementation. |
Basin State and Other Projects
| Project/ Initiative Code | Approx Start Year | Project/Initiatives/Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| JBS3 | 2021 | Third Orange Senqu Water Resources Quality Joint Basin Survey | An Aquatic Ecosystem Health monitoring program, known as the Joint Basin Survey (JBS), is conducted every five years by aquatic environmental specialists. The first JBS took place in 2010, the second in 2015 and the third during 2021. The primary driving reason for the JBS is to try and assess the health of the river system that so many people rely on. Information on the 3rd JBS can be found here. |
| JBS2 | 2015 | Second Orange-Senqu Water Resources Quality Joint Basin Survey | |
| JBS1 | 2010 | First Orange-Senqu Water Resources Quality Joint Basin Survey | |
| GGRETA | 2013 | Governance of Groundwater Resources in Transboundary Aquifer (GGRETA) - Phase 1 | Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System (STAS) The Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System (STAS) is the only permanent and dependable water resource for the local population living in an area that covers 87 000 km2 from Central Namibia into Western Botswana and South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. The on-going cooperation over the STAS between the Department of Water Affairs of Botswana, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry of Namibia, and the Department of Water and Sanitation of South Africa arising from the GGRETA project, has yielded an in-depth assessment of the aquifer characteristics; including current and projected uses of groundwater, and likely future stress conditions under relevant factors. This UNSECO facilitated initiative has generated an impressive database of geophysical, and geohydrological data for the area which is shared via the WIS here. For more detail please read here. The Geohydrological database can be accessed here, and all the GIS data can be accessed from gis.orasecom.org |