By: Saidu Jalloh
The National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA) has successfully completed the calibration and optimization of key hydrological monitoring stations across Sierra Leone as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s water resources monitoring and data collection systems.
According to the agency, the exercise was carried out by its Hydrological Services Department and covered major surface water monitoring stations in Konsho, Guma Dam, Daru, and Magburaka, as well as groundwater monitoring stations in Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, and other locations nationwide.
The initiative was aimed at restoring and enhancing the operational efficiency, reliability, and accuracy of the country’s hydrological monitoring infrastructure. Technical teams undertook a range of activities, including the calibration and replacement of faulty equipment, the re-establishment of staff gauges, and the development of local datums and zero-gauge elevations to improve measurement accuracy.
NWRMA explained that local datums were linked to river cross-sections, while river cross-sectional profiling was conducted using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to support comprehensive hydrological assessments. Groundwater levels were also calibrated using deep meters, and bubbler offsets at surface monitoring stations were calculated and verified to enhance data precision.
The agency further reported that damaged bubbler orifice lines were repaired or replaced, station platforms were reconstructed and reinforced where necessary, and solar power systems were upgraded to improve energy reliability and ensure continuous station operations.
As part of the optimization process, all surface monitoring equipment was configured and synchronized with staff gauge readings, while groundwater sensors and data loggers were calibrated to ensure consistency, accuracy, and reliability in data collection and transmission.
According to NWRMA, these improvements form part of its broader commitment to strengthening evidence-based water resources management and increasing the availability of reliable hydrological data to support national planning, policy formulation, decision-making, and community resilience.
The agency emphasized that the upgraded monitoring systems will contribute significantly to the effective management of Sierra Leone’s water resources, enhance early warning capabilities for water-related hazards, and support national efforts to promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience.