UNESCO TRAINING COURSE: Groundwater Exploration and

Government of Kenya
UNESCO TRAINING COURSE:
Groundwater Exploration and Navigation in the Turkana Region (Kenya)
1st - 2nd December 2012
UNHCR Conference Facility
Kakuma, Turkana County, Kenya
Mr. Chrispinus Wafula, Sub-regional Manager, Lodwar, Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA)
explaining a point to a section of the GENS team during a field session
UNESO/RTI Facilitation Team: Dr. Alain Gachet, President (RTI), Mr. Michael Gachet (RTI), Mr. Casey Walther (GRIDMAP
Coordinator, UNESCO), Mr. Peter Manyara (National Programme Coordinator, UNESCO), Mr. Edwin Adenya (Consultant,
UNESCO) and Ms. Nathalie Walther (Photographer/Documentation)
GENs Trainee Team: Mr. Chrispinus Wafula, Sub-Regional Manager, Lodwar, WRMA - Rift Valley Catchment Area; Mr. Walter
Waga, Deputy District Water Officer, Turkana Central; Mr. Charles Mudunyi, Geologist, Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI);
Mr. Anthony Ndun’gu, Regional Groundwater Officer, WRMA - Rift Valley Catchment Area; Mr. Ronald Musyoki, Water
Engineer, District Water Office (Kakuma); Mr. Dominic Gachanja, Senior Water Officer, Lutheran World Federation (LWF); and
Mr. Patrick Galli, WASH Coordinator, UNHCR
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.
UNESCO organized a practical training programme on groundwater resources
exploration and field navigation from 1 to 3 December 2012 in Kakuma, Turkana County
in northwest Kenya. The course was being conducted by UNESCO and its technical
partner, Radar Technologies International (RTI), in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry
of Water and Irrigation and UNHCR.
1.2.
The training course is a component of UNESCO’s advanced survey and mapping of the
hydrogeological resources of northern and central Turkana County was initiated in July
2012 under the new UNESCO-led Groundwater Resources Investigation for Drought
Mitigation in Africa Programme (GRIDMAP).
1.3.
Financed by the Government of Japan, the survey aims to assess how much and where
groundwater exists in the Turkana region and to determine which zones in the region
have the best potential of being developed to mitigate water scarcity and drought.
Conducted by RTI and its WATEX System™ technology, the survey has generated a
package of maps, data and reports about groundwater reserves, essentially establishing
a new comprehensive vision of groundwater and its potential in the Turkana region.
1.4.
The training course took advantage of the outcomes of the survey, including tools such
as the Groundwater Exploration Navigation System (GENS), a Handbook for Borehole
Drillers, high-resolution maps and a GIS database, which served as the main course
materials during the training.
1.5.
About the Groundwater Exploration Navigation System (GENS)
The GENS™ is a tool device specifically designed to enable precise groundwater
surveying for borehole site selection, assessment, monitoring and mapping. Mobile,
tough, autonomous and versatile, the GENS was designed for exploring for groundwater
in the harsh Turkana environment with the goal of making complex navigation more
manageable and borehole site selection more accurate. The GENS for Turkana
integrates the maps and data generated during the UNESCO Turkana survey into an
integrated hardware and software package. Each GENS unit is comprised of a rugged,
militarized central controlling device, a GPS tracking device and an advanced navigation
software. Real-time water and geology tracking, on-the-move navigation, and advanced
mapping are some of the unique capabilities of this system.
Figure 1. A GENs System
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2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course was aimed at achieving the following objectives:
2.1.
2.2.
2.3.
To train a special team of groundwater and geological technicians on the operation of
advanced groundwater navigation and exploration tools in northern Turkana County.
To train participants on how to read and interpret the three (3) new maps for groundwater
assessment in Turkana (groundwater target, groundwater recharge, soil).
To provide an overview of the major outcomes from the survey and offer basic training to
some 30-40 representatives drawn from various organizations.
3. COURSE OUTCOMES
(See attached annexes for the training programmes)
The participants constituted a team a team of seven (7) technicians (mainly hydrogeologists
and geologists) who were taken through a two day comprehensive training on how to operate
the advanced Groundwater Exploration Navigation System (GENS). By the end of the
course, participants were expected to have acquired the skills necessary to select borehole
sites with a high certainty of drilling success and understand how to navigate for gro undwater
in relation to surface features. This team is envisaged to provide services to the Government
of Kenya, NGO’s, UN agencies and communities in groundwater navigation and exploration
using the GENS.
Day One, Friday, 30 November: On the evening of 30 November 2012, the trainees and
facilitation team met and interacted freely to familiarize with each in order to facilitate for a
free and interactive training environment for the next days.
Day Two, Saturday, 1 December: Following participant registration and introductions, the
participants were taken through an overview of the training’s objectives, its structure and
expectations by Mr. Peter Manyara. This was followed by a presentation by the GRIDMAP
Coordinator, Mr. Casey Walther on UNESCO’s groundwater survey in Turkana, where he
took the trainees on a quick contextual tour of the basis of the work under which the training
is being undertaken. He elaborated on the basics of the survey, its objectives, expected
outcomes, methodology, deliverables, and the timeline.
The above was followed by a formal presentation of the three survey maps (groundwater
target, groundwater recharge, soil) by the President of the Radar Technologies International
(RTI), Dr. Alain Gachet. The high resolution maps were created to show stakeholders where
the water is terms of shallow water resources to 100m, and also deep water aquifers, up to
1.5km deep. The maps generated a lot of interest from the participants, as such maps had
not existed before not only in Turkana, but in Kenya as a whole. The participants were taken
through the process of using the maps to identify areas of good soil and groundwater
recharge, in addition to locating shallow and deep aquifers. Dr. Gachet also took the
participants through the GIS database that RTI had created based on the hydrogeological,
geological, hydrological, topographical, and geophysical data that had been collected for the
last four months from key stakeholders in the country. This database was meant to serve as
a basis for the government stakeholders to understand the key water access points and
resources within the study area and where they were located, complete with grid reference.
The trainees were taken through the type of data is included for Turkana and how to query,
load and use the GIS database for groundwater exploration in the field.
Mr. Michael Gachet, RTI’s software solutions developer introduced the Groundwater
Exploration Navigation System (GENS). He took the trainees on the process of setting up the
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GENS, its basic operation functions, the Global Mapper software and its application in
creating and managing waypoints, planning and executing tracks and on the process of
navigation to high potential groundwater areas. He also introduced the iGENS, a new,
innovative, lighter, simpler, and more economical version of the GENS.
The trainees were later divided into two groups, within which they tested their grasp of the
day’s work under supervision from the facilitation team. In the afternoon, the groups were
briefed on the field work objectives, after which they hit the field to test their real world use of
the GENS in finding existing water points and potential high water source areas as per the
underlain WATEX base map in the GENS.
Day Three, Sunday, 2 December: The trainees were taken through a recap of the previous
day and the key points to remember by Mr. Walther. He also took the trainees on the outline
for the second day, which included the procedure of exporting navigation and exploration
data for future use, how to make best choices on selecting viable sites for boreholes, and on
how to find groundwater for a variety of purposes (emergency and development scenarios).
Michael took the trainees through the steps for exporting waypoints and user created data
from the navigation process of the previous day. This step was useful to acquaint participants
on the possibilities that existed on using the data that had been collected through the GENS,
in case there was need to undertake further analysis in other mapping and GI S softwares
such as the famous ArcGIS.
The trainees were taken through the criterion for consideration by groundwater development
planners in selecting viable sites for boreholes by Mr. Edwin Adenya. These included
consideration of factors such as: the purpose of the borehole, proximity to the consumption
points, distribution system, accessibility for drilling, hydrology, sustainability, socio-cultural
and economic implications, ownership and management, and security. Mr. Walther and
Manyara then oversaw the group’s abilities in planning for water development using two
arbitrary scenarios that were specifically developed for the group exercises. The groups used
the scenarios to design and implement groundwater development programmes that
addressed the emergency and long-term realms. This was to test the ability of the trainees in
rapidly planning for water provision in emergency situations when they do occur without due
notice and also on how they can plan for groundwater exploration towards support to long
term livelihood support activities such as irrigated agriculture.
The day ended with a recap of the first two days and a practical demonstration of data export
from the day’s field work.
Day Four, Monday, 3 December: The day involved an open seminar with a larger group of
stakeholders drawn from different agencies such as government, NGO’s, church-based
organizations, community representatives and others in Kakuma for a presentation of the
survey’s preliminary results and some related tools.
Mr. Bernard Chamoux, Deputy Director, Kakuma field office (UNHCR) opened the seminar
with an exhilarating speech on the water situation and challenges especially as they relate to
the refugee operation area and the host community.
The next steps involved a rapid succession of presentations as follows: seminar overview by
Mr. Manyara, UNESCO groundwater survey of Turkana by Mr. Walther, survey results and
deliverables by Dr. Gachet, the Groundwater Navigation Exploration System (GENS) by
Michael, and discussion and way forward coordinated by Mr. Walther.
Mr. Chamoux closed the seminar, with the afternoon session involving field implementation of
new scenarios by the GENS team.
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4. PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD
A jubilant Team 2 (led by Mr. Ndun’gu of WRMA) after finding the a spot
with high potential water
Dr. Gachet having a one on one discussion with JICA colleagues
Preparing the GENS systems before a field activity
Mr. Mudunyi, MoWI testing the functionality of the GENS in a car
Navigating the fields in search of groundwater using the GENS
Michael showing the direction to head using the iGENS
There! Mr. Manyara seems to be showing colleagues where the water is
on the WATEX image in the GENS
Kids excited on the potential presented by UNESCO’s work
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5. ANNEXES
Annex 1: Training course programme (1-2 December 2012)
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Annex 2: Seminar programme (3 December 2012)
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ANNEX 3: SCENARIOS

Day Three, Sunday, 2 December
Drought has struck along Lake Turkana, resulting in the loss of cattle and income to a group of
Turkana people (200 persons). With no hope of recovering in their Lokitaung area, the leader has led
the community to settle in the Kakuma area in hopes of building a more stable situation. A local
NGO (the WTF) is supporting the newly arrived community by training them on cultivating drought
resistant crops for food and income generation. But they need adequate land and water if the
community’s new plan is to succeed.
Teams mission: Find water and land for the community:


Identify a site that is less than 5 km from the Tarash River for a borehole that will supply a
year-round community irrigation scheme.

The borehole must be located at least 500 m from a 1 km2 plot of land that is good for crop
cultivation.
Day Four, Monday, 3 December
Team 1: The UNHCR is expanding Kakuma Refugee Camp Area III to accommodate a recent influx
of refugees from South Sudan. As part of the expansion of services in that area, a new medical clinic
and primary school are being built at the following location (GPS):


N 3°45’36”
E 34°48’36”
Team 1 Mission: Find a site for a new borehole that will supply water for both the clinic and school.
Team 2: Two existing boreholes (BH 3 and BH 4) in Kakuma Refugee Camp Area I have recently
experienced failure due to unknown reasons. The boreholes were the main water supply for the
2,000 residents living in Blocks 3, 4, 5 and 6. The failed boreholes are in the process of being
repaired, but in the meantime, alternative supplies are urgently needed. And with each passing day,
the situation is growing more urgent.
Team 2 Mission: Find a site for one or two boreholes that can be drilled for emergency water
supplies.
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