EXPLORATION OF WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DECISION SUPPORT POTENTIAL IN DATA SCARCE WATERSHEDS AND ASSOCIATED DATA POLICY NEEDS

Insufficient data access presents major challenges to scientific assessment of water resources, development of management plans, and attainment of water security. Hydrologic models are widely applied in the advisement of pollution, drought, and flood mitigation strategies; their accuracy relies on data used in setup and calibration. A case study of Sasumua River Watershed in Kenya illustrates compromises in certainty that must be made when conducting research and developing hydrologic models under unideal data conditions. Current results predict a substantial increase in streamflow within 50 years and recommend a multi-faceted approach to agricultural pollutant reduction. Direct experience from the case study reiterates the importance of organized data collection and dissemination for metrics of concern to improve future efforts in data-scarce regions.