One of the projects that the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) implements to avert floods include ‘Floods Management in Volcanoes Region Project.’

This six-year project ,which is currently being undertaken, comprises of different activities such as ponds and gabion along the water channels of Virunga mountains.

The Director General of the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) Prime Ngabonziza says that the institution is at 80% of the project implementation process and commitment and hard work have been shown.

 “We have already realized the impacts of the implemented activities as they have remarkably reduced the high peak flow of floods in the region. These, most of the times, used to lead to deaths and destructed citizens’ houses and farms,”

“The beneficiaries are pleased with such achievements and we are always ready to use our joint efforts to tackle floods not only in this region but also countrywide,” says Ngabonziza.

Emmanuel Nzamuye, who resides in Kagarama, Burera District, explains that local residents started celebrating the importance of the project during the April rain which didn’t affect them in any way as, for instance, their lands are currently too protected to be washed away anymore.

The project

The storm water, from the volcano regions, continued to be the cause of severe floods frequently observed in the districts of Burera, Musanze, Nyabihu and Rubavu.

22 gullies have been identified including 11 in Burera, 8 in Musanze, 2 in Nyabihu and 1 in Rubavu District.

Hence, the ‘Floods Management in Volcanoes Region Project’ was designed where it is anticipated to prevent and mitigate flood damages in volcano areas, implement ecosystem and nature based approaches for managing flood risk.

The six-year project implementation process will be done in four phases kicking off with the four prioritized gullies including two identified in Burera District in Muhabura – Mbandana and Nyarubande and the other two in Musanze District in Muhe and Susa.