NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SOIL DEPARTMENT GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

AN IDEA FOR HEPING OUR DISTRICT IN FIGHTING AGAINST EROSION AND FLOOD, THE CRUCIAL PROBLEM IN THE AREA.

PRESENTED BY:

DUSENAYO THEONESTE NSENGIMANA JEAN DE DIEU AND OTHER COLLEAGUES

ORIGIN OF THE IDEA

Water can be as good as bad according to the way it is used or treated. As natural phenomena product, water is not easily to be well managed; but humans, once manage these phenomena technically and carefully, can benefit water goodness than its harmful effects. It is in this context, we, students of National University of Rwanda, Civil Engineering, Geography and Agronomy Departments, native to Nyabihu District, Western Province and some of our colleagues, after bearing in mind the module of HYDROLOGY & HYDRAULIC STUCTURES founded on other important skills added to relative observations we often make around our district and elsewhere in the country, decided to prepare this proposal in order to help our district by adding our knowledge and effort to those of district civil engineer and agronomist, sectors agronomists and people who dedicate all their best, in fighting against erosion and flood by establishing founded scientific and experimental methods to be used in this activity.

CURRENT PROBLEM
The problems relative to water occur in both wet and dry seasons. In wet season there are erosion and land displacement that result in necked rocks in mountains and excessive flood in valleys; both resulting also in a huge starvation and much funds deployment to help victims and for land reparation. In dry season there is no enough reserve in water so that even valleys suffer almost equally as mountains the same problem of water lack. Concrete example is BIGOGWE Sector where there is flood every year. Data from the National University of Rwanda center dealing with earths surface features, by an advanced

computer system that records, stores, and analyzes information about the features that make up the earth's surface, GIS (Geographical Information System), provide clear actual situation about erosion and flood within the country. Even though all these problems are available, we dont ignore the participation of the district and people through their big effort in making terraces, digging natural ponds and channels, planting grass to cover land and trees to retain soil; it means that what we plan doing is for completing and correcting what has just been done and make it more technical and scientific.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
We know well that erosion and flood problem, as natural phenomena result, is not as simple as anybody can think! It requires great financial means (even that surpass district or country ability i.e. it can be handled on the international level), plan, technology, time, will and ability What can be done as solution is not the absolute solution to the flood problem; but its of great importance. The following solutions are proposed at glance: Studying, at short scale, the origin and quantity of the water that erodes a particular area Study at short scale means mountain by mountain or village by village
Laying out different possible destinations of water from the rain by means of technical

ponds and channels Technical ponds involve their size, shape, number, and the suitable destination. About channels, they remain natural but their network on the concerned area is taken into consideration technically until water reaches the river.
Grass and trees plantation

They dont grow one week or one month to provide their contribution but once plan is made and monitored carefully, the result is sensitive.

ACTIVITIES
Studying the water available in the chosen area, its actual effects and proposing possible solutions Making plan for ponds and channels lay out Educating people (additional skills) in matter of erosion and flood and their consequences Setting ponds and channels and planting grasses Maintenance and monitoring

CALENDER AND AREAS SUFFERING THE MORE

The available project time period is two years along which areas suffering the more are prior even though we wish this activity should stay forever with students from National University of Rwanda. As we are starting, we only plan for these two years whose we think the result can provide the basis of planning for next promotions. Together with the district, we identify these areas and plan for them within this two years period.

IMPLEMENTATION, MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING

While implementing, leaders, people, and we students, have to work together in this issue. Leaders are to encourage people to understand what students propose and are showing them to do on the field. Maintenance is anybodys responsibility especially people closer to implanted infrastructures and monitoring stays mainly in leaders hands in charge of relative problems together with students along the project duration.

GOALS
Knowing the water causing erosion and land displacement Suitable ponds and channels network establishment Working together with educated people in matter of water concern

BENEFICIARIES
Nyabihu District people Adjacent districts The country and the whole earth

PARTNER
The district is required to be the main partner and sponsor. On our hand, our lecturer in hydrology Dr MUNYANEZA Omar PhD fellow is ready to provide any possible technical support.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT
As stated above, erosion and flood problems surpass even country level! Its in this context we students, voluntarily; wish helping our district in this matter according to its own financial capacity, through the budget relative to this activity if available.

IMPACTS
Erosion and land displacement reduction Infrastructure durability Increase of farmers confidence Starvation reduction Investment in agriculture and animal husbandry Pollution reduction