UNEP GEMS Programme for Freshwater Quality Monitoring and Assessment

THE GEMS/Water PROGRAMME

National Water Research Institute (NWRI)at the

Canada Centre for Inland WatersBurlington, Ontario

GEMS/Water UNEP

The GEMS/Water Programme provides authoritative, scientifically-sound information on the state and trends of global inland water quality required as a basis for the sustainable management of the world’s freshwater to support global environmental assessments and decision-making processes.

Vision

MandateEstablished in 1978 at NWRI

Chapter 18 – Freshwater

Chapter 40 - Info for Decision-Making

UNEP DEWA Water Policy

still the only global water quality monitoring agency.

Develops and maintains a global freshwater quality information system with a series of global and national partners.

Provides information on global freshwater quality through the internet and via CD ROM to support global and regional environmental assessment and reporting processes in the United Nations system and other international agencies, such as the World Bank.

Works with partners to facilitate the formulation and implementation of programmes to build capacity of developing countries for the acquisition and management of water quality information.

GEMS/Water Mission

Who uses GEMS/Water?

UNEP & UN system WRI/World Bank

governmentsuniversities

• Capacity/training• QA/QC• Resource

materials• Data &

information.

Nu

mb

er o

f C

ou

ntr

ies

20

40

60

80

100

120

0

Active Countries

New, Enrolled, Re-ActivatedCountries

New & NegotiatingCountries

Dormant Countries

Year

1992-93 1994-95 1996-97 1998-99 2000-02

78 83 84

101 104

Global Scope

REGION

AFRA

AMRA

EMRA

EURA

SEAA

WPRA

TOTAL

DATA POINTS

12,287

182,852

61,354

781,134

352,888

382,514

1,773,399 35 new countries by 2008priorities: Pan-Africa,

Mekong, CAS, SIDs.

Global Participation

Rivers Lakes & Reservoirs

Groundwater

Baseline Impact

TrendFlux

Global Distribution

Note: Information includes surface and groundwater combined. Reported numbers represent number of data points in the GEMS/Water Archive.

AFRA

AMRA

EMRA

EURA

SEAA

WPRA

Total

Station MajorIons

Metals Nutrients OrganicContaminants

Physical/Chemical

Micro-Biology

DateRange

3921

35260

15466

130412

107843

41583

334485

970

31333

10141

145640

20088

48914

257086

1914

27224

8541

106452

58209

70073

272413

4

3593

366

13036

267

6605

23871

2024

33269

12495

140793

79256

58478

326315

385

9389

3113

27308

17718

10278

68191

1978-2000

1978-1999

1978-2002

1978-2001

1978-2001

1978-2002

1978-2002

Parameter Classification

Data received in various formats• Paper• Files received on diskette and not formatted• Files attached or embedded in email

Review of data and metadata• Corresponding stations comparison• New parameter codes or change in analytical procedures• Identification of outlying values

Prepared and loaded into GLOWDAT – archive GEMS/Water database

• Main system editing filters to identify suspect data• Feedback loop with data originators

Download country data to GEMS/Water working files.

• On-going edit and database update activity

Receiving Data From Countries

Database ActivityGEMS/Water database is currently undergoing a

rigorous review to increase it’s quality:

Data download by country and by station

Each parameter is plotted and a regression analysis is performed All significant deviations and outliers are identified and results are reviewed

Feedback to data originator

Date vs. Dissolved OxygenPakistan Station 056003

Date (Julian Calendar; day 1 = 1/1/1979)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Dis

solv

ed O

xyge

n (m

g/L

O2)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Date vs. Dissolved OxygenRegression Line y = 6.8 + (7.1 x 10-5)x r2=0.03

Residual PlotPakistan Station 056003 - Dissolved Oxygen

Ordinal

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Res

idua

l Plo

t (m

g/L

O2)

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Database Activity

2σσy=0σ2σ

Ravi River, PakistanStation 056003

Date vs. SulphatePakistan Station 056002

Date (Julian Calendar; day 1 = 1/1/1980)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000

Sul

phat

e (m

g/L

SO

4)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Date vs. SulphateRegression Line y = 4.8 + (5.8 x 10-3)x r2=0.22

Residual PlotPakistan Station 056002 - Sulphate

Ordinal

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Res

idua

l (m

g/L

SO

4)

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

602σ

σy=0σ

2σ

Database ActivityKalri Lake, Pakistan

Station 056002

Purpose of Review

to identify significant deviations and outliers in the database.

to increase the reliability of the database that is used by UN agencies for water quality assessments.

to increase communication with GEMS/Water participating countries.

to increase the overall validity of the GEMS/Water database.

UNEP Vital Water Graphic: An Overview of the State of theWorld’s Fresh and Marine Waters.

United Nations Statistics Division Compendium ofEnvironment Statistics and Indicators

World Water Assessment Programme

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) –Stockholm Convention

World Lake Vision – International Lakes EnvironmentCommittee

Dialogue on Water and Climate Synthesis

Freshwater Assessments

Freshwater Assessments

Gadwal

Honnali

Takli

Ullanur

Karad

Sangli

Station 031036 - Karad

Desired C - Existing D

Desired C - Existing D

Desired B - Existing C

Desired C - Existing C

Desired C - Existing D

Desired C

1985 - 20010

0

0

0

0

0

21

5

4

8

3018

1986 - 2001

1985 - 2001

1978 - 2001

1985 - 2001

1978 - 2001

Station 031037 - Sangli

Station 031038 - Honnali

Station 031029 - U llanar

Station 031039 - G adw al

Station 031028

Shaded blue area on graph represents desired level of BOD for Class C Drinking Water - 3 mg/L or less.

BOD Krishna

Watershed,India

Freshwater Assessments

Freshwater Assessments

QA/QC Programme DevelopmentAnalytical Methods

Dictionary

Quality Assurance

Manual

InterlaboratoryStudies

Assessment Programme

QA LOOP

The QA “loop” will improve water quality data:

Known analytical methods are used (from AMD),

QC procedures consistent between laboratories (as describe in the QMS),

Lab audits will lead to improved analytical results.

Interlab studies monitor laboratory performance,

Outcomes and Benefits

Provision of Expertise

Water quality monitoring program design

Integrated water resources management [IWRM]

Field sampling protocols

Interpretation and assessment

Training

Total Number of Hits to the GEMS/Water Web Site 1996 - 2002

Countries119,496(29%)

Educational35,075(8%)

Frequently Requested Items on the GEMS/Water Web Site 1996 - 2002

119,024

68,457

26,063

6,874

4,478

2,958

2,840

Digital Atlas

GEMS/Water Introduction

Triennial Report Summaries

Publications

Global Water Review

GEMS/Water List of Partners

GEMS/Water List of Products

Other20,567(5%)

Non-Profit Org.9,494(2%)

US Government3,968(1%)

Commercial77,947(18%)

NumericalAddresses

111,547(26%)

Network48,722(11%)

Web Site Activities

Database Access & Data Distribution

Web access to data products

Map based selection criteria

Interactive query and analysis

Graph and table generation

Digital download capability

Focus on AfricaVulnerability of

Water Resources to Environmental Change in Africa Dec 2003 Pan-African Water

Conference.

Increase the distribution and representativeness of monitoring sites

Expansion of water quality parameters to reflect current emerging issues

Reduce lag-time of data submission

Africa – Vulnerability of water resources Contribution to Global Environment

Outlook 4

Expansion of Digital Atlas of Global Water Quality

GEMS/Water Activities

Participation in the United Nations Freshwater Programme

Local comparisons with similar aquatic systems in other countries

GEMS/Water Operational Guide and Analytical Methods Dictionary

National laboratories participation in an international QA/QC programme

Capacity building through training

GEMS/Water

Country Benefits