Surface Water Division
The Division is headed by a Deputy Director and comprises two sections, namely; Hydrology and Surface Water Development and Management. The main functions of the Division are as follows:
-
Identify and assess surface water resources for water development, protection and conservation;
-
Plan, develop and manage surface water in respective catchment areas;
-
Maintain an up-to-date national hydrometric network of stations and a hydrological database; and
-
Offer and provide efficient hydrological advisory services to the public and clients.
Mlalaji dam in Mzimba district
Sections
The section is headed by Chief Hydrologist with establishments at Headquarter, Regions (Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre) and 12 hydrological districts of Thyolo, Ngabu, Zomba, Blantyre, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Nkhotakota, Lilongwe, Karonga, Rumphi, Mzuzu, and Chitipa. The section offers the following services and responsibilities:-
Coordinating the agencies which have responsibilities for acquiring and/or using water-related data and hydrological information, and assembling the generated data and ensuring their future accessibility;
-
Establishing the requirements of existing or possible future users of water-related data and hydrological information, including the requirements of other organizations that are collecting environmental and environmental-impact data in relation to land use and climate change;
-
Making the hydrological data accessible to users, when, where and in the form they require such as dissemination of hydrological forecasts and warnings, publication of hydrological yearbooks and preparation of reports on water resources, in which data are comprehensively analyzed.
-
Collaborating with agencies which acquire water-related or other relevant information, such as water quantity and quality, sediment, hydrogeological, water use, topographic and land use, or meteorological information;
-
Managing flood forecasting and early warning systems;
-
Furnishing hydrological information for inclusion in the country’s periodic reports on the state of the environment;
-
Provide policy direction on the surface water monitoring
-
Conducting hydrological research and publish scientific reports;
Undertaking water resources assessment studies for development purposes and participating in the planning, development and management of water resources projects
The section is headed by Chief Water Resources Development Officer with establishments at Headquarter, Regions (Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre) and all administrative districts. The section offers the following services and responsibilities.-
Surface water resources planning, development and management
-
Conservation and management of catchment areas for water harvesting structures
-
Maintaining and updating a Surface Water Development Management Information System.
-
Providing guidelines on operation and maintenance of water harvesting structures
-
Spearheading the development of the policy on water harvesting structures.
-
Construction of small and medium multipurpose dams and facilitation for the development of large multipurpose water harvesting structures.
-
Assessing water demand from sectors/beneficiaries before development is undertaken.
-
Promoting water harvesting technologies and best practices and maintaining a database on the same.
Promoting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches in the development of water resources.
