A decision-support tool for water allocation in the Volta Basin

de Condappaa, D.; Chaponniere, Anne; Lemoalle, J. 2009. A decision-support tool for water allocation in the Volta Basin. Water International, 34(1):71-87. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02508060802677861

The first version of a decision-support tool (DST) for the management of the transboundary water resource of the Volta Basin is presented in this article. The DST coupled a hydrologic model with the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) water-allocation model. It was calibrated and validated by reproducing observed river flows and water stored in the hydropower reservoirs, respectively. It considered the impact of possible future climate changes (potentially critical) and the development of upstream small reservoirs (leading to upstream-downstream trade-offs) on the Akosombo hydropower scheme. This DST may foster transboundary dialogue for the integrated management of the basin's water resources.