Georgia faces a complex array of water-related challenges, demanding a nuanced approach to enhance planning and management. The western region, characterised by prevailing westerly winds, benefits from abundant rainfall, fostering a mildly humid climate yet also presenting frequent flooding risks. In contrast, the eastern region receives considerably less rainfall, intensifying the urgency for effective water supply management by local authorities.
Earth Observation (EO) technologies hold immense potential to address these water management challenges, though they remain underutilised. In this context, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme is pivotal. Through its Water Resources thematic activity, the programme supports the World Bank‘s ‘Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land Project (GRAIL)’. This initiative aims to enhance irrigation and drainage services, boost agricultural production in targeted areas, and fortify national institutions for climate-resilient irrigation and land management.
Strategic Initiatives for Agricultural and Rural Development
In 2021, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) of Georgia unveiled the Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy for 2021-2027. This comprehensive strategy seeks to diversify economic opportunities in rural areas while improving the social conditions and quality of life for residents. Key objectives include:
- Promoting the development of competitive agricultural and non-agricultural sectors in rural areas,
- Ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and conserving ecosystems while adapting to climate change,
- Enhancing the efficiency of systems related to food and feed safety, and veterinary and plant protection.
These strategic goals are poised to transform rural Georgia, driving both economic growth and sustainable development.
In alignment with these objectives, EO technologies provided under the ESA GDA programme are expected to deliver essential information and tools required for climate-adaptive water management. In the GDA Water Resources use case, a complementary array of EO technologies is utilised, including water accounting, crop monitoring, weather and climate information, weather forecasting services for farmers, flood and drought monitoring, and irrigation management planning. Such tools and services will enhance water and land productivity, thereby reducing energy needs for crop production.
For instance, in Georgia, flood mapping and risk assessment on water quality and sediment transport were carried out by combining different EO products, such as surface water occurrence and turbidity, with simulated river discharge.
Technological and Infrastructural Improvements
The support provided through the GDA Water Resources activity is connected to and integrated with strategic investments in agricultural infrastructure financed by the World Bank, particularly in water and land management, which are crucial for sustainable growth. A notable initiative is the proposed establishment of a Hydro-Agro Informatics Center (HAIC) within MEPA. This centre will consolidate efforts across various MEPA agencies, gathering data on water, land, irrigation, and agriculture. Enhanced by the GDA programme, HAIC will leverage remote sensing and data analytics to create tailored digital services for MEPA and its agencies.
Furthermore, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) together with the National Flood Agency (NFA) of Georgia, is intensifying efforts to manage flood risks in major river basins, addressing both reporting and management needs. While progress has been made on larger rivers, smaller and medium-sized rivers still require substantial support to comply with the national flood protection strategy. EO services are critical here, identifying flood-prone areas through topographic assessments using the Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND) index, with ongoing discussions about integrating these findings into a comprehensive flood catalogue.
Enhanced Water Management Practices
Effective sediment control in reservoirs like Narekvavi and Sioni is critical for agricultural water management. Sediment trapping reduces storage capacity, necessitating robust management strategies. Optical remote sensing monitors water turbidity, aiding in planning sediment removal operations and extending reservoir lifespans. Currently, such data are lacking for Georgian irrigation schemes.
Agricultural practices relying on irrigation also raise concerns about water quality, as runoff often carries nutrients and fertilisers downstream. While direct EO measurement is challenging, proxies like chlorophyll-a concentrations and harmful algae blooms are effective indicators. Along the Mtkvari River, EO monitoring helps identify potential hazards, optimise fieldwork, and reduce the need for extensive in-situ sampling.
Lastly, the impacts of climate change on hydrological patterns are being examined through detailed discharge modelling in the Rioni River basin. This modelling, validated against historical data, projects future discharge changes, crucial for informed infrastructure investments, such as hydropower, considering the anticipated increase in peak discharges due to accelerated snowmelt processes driven by climate warming.
Impact of ESA’s GDA activities
The EO products and services developed through the GDA Water Resources support to the World Bank team have played a key role in building MEPA’s capacity and closing the information gap. By using EO-based tools for integrated monitoring of water, agriculture, and land resources, Georgia is now better placed to advance towards a modern water and agricultural management system. This system will be supported by continuous, reliable, and openly accessible data to inform decisions at various levels.
With the World Bank’s GRAIL project beginning its needs assessment and roadmap development for the Hydro-Agro Informatics Center, further details will emerge regarding the specific datasets, EO tools, and information products required. These will align with the business processes that the center will need to carry out, as well as the types of information services it should offer.
