Towards a National Water Information System in Jordan

Jordan is one the pilot countries of the regional project dedicated to enhancing National Water Information System -NWIS-, under development in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean. This regional project supported by EMWIS, the League of Arab States also includes development of NWIS in Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon. The regional activities are opened to any Mediterranean countries to prepare NWIS developments. Thanks to the support of the European Commission, consultants have been hired to define the NWIS and prepare the terms of reference for its implementation, foreseen in 2014.  The priority stakeholders to be involved in the study are the water sector entities (Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan Valley Authority and Water Authority of Jordan), Jordan Meteorological Department, Department of lands and survey, Ministry of Environment, Department of Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Royal Jordanian Geographic Center. The results should be available by the end of 2013, making Jordan the third pilot country of the project to start its activity. Tunisia started the implementation of its "SINEAU" in March 2013 and Morocco initiated a similar study in April 2013. The partners of this project entitled "Creating Shared National Water Data Management Systems towards a Mediterranean Water Knowledge Hub" are looking for the UfM label in 2013.