Consultant at ZOA International

Job Summary

• We are looking for a qualified Consultant to carry out Hydrological & Land Use Practices Baseline Study on Abaji Watershed.

Introduction

• ZOA, along with partners, plans to develop, and promote targeted water stewardship in the Abaji watershed, aiming to achieve over 250,000m3 of Volumetric Water Benefit (VWB) through feasible interventions.
• To kickstart this initiative, ZOA intends to commission a baseline study in six communities within the Abaji watershed. The study will utilize three VWB calculation methods: Curve Number Method, Withdrawal Method, and Volume Provided Method.
• Expertise in hydrology, public water governance & policy, land use planning, and regenerative agriculture will be sought for the study. Anticipated funding from Nestle will support the implementation of these activities.

Objectives

• The study's overall objective is to estimate Volumetric Water Benefits that can be achieved from pre-identified Water Stewardship Activities and map potential complementary benefits.
• The process will develop the appropriate model(s) to estimate baseline figures of key VWB indicators, estimate realistic VWB values from each of the identified water stewardship activities, and develop a monitoring (tracking system) to track the VWB throughout the proposed intervention implementation period. This will be achieved specifically through:
  • Identification and profiling of root causes of Abaji watershed/catchment shared water challenges.
  • Evaluation of catchment stakeholders and mapping current, and relevant water stewardship activities.
  • Quantifying the hydrological, water balance, and land use indicators driving water challenges based on standard water accounting principles.
  • Establishing a model and allocating Volumetric Water Benefits baseline indicators for proposed sustainable water balance, good water governance, improved water quality status, and Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) water stewardship outcomes.

Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for providing technical expertise and assistance in the conduct of the baseline study. The consultant's specific responsibilities will include:

• Conducting a desktop study and secondary data review of the watershed to include at least three years’ weather data, land cover maps, municipality water accounting documents, and infrastructure design schematics.
• Conducting topographical and hydrological assessments, including geospatial analysis, of pre-identified sites in the watershed. This will include land use profiles (degraded land cover, farming, land use, soil type, slope). And land cover profiles including along river basins.
• Conducting a household survey and focus group discussions with different socioeconomic gender profiles involved in agriculture, water governance, water resource utilization, water value chain actor, local policy implementer, etc.
• Conducting key informant interviews and stakeholder consultation meetings to identify public water management interventions, beneficiaries and consumers of water supply, and authority water stewardship activities.
• Conduct scientific modeling and analysis of data gathered from the different methodologies used in the study.
• Providing technical expertise in the drafting of the baseline report.

Deliverables
The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following:

• A detailed methodology report that includes a review of the desktop study, topographical and hydrological assessments, household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and stakeholder consultation meetings.
• A report on the findings of the baseline study, which includes the identification and profiling of root causes of water challenges in the watershed, the evaluation of catchment stakeholders, and the quantification of the hydrological, water balance, and land use indicators driving water challenges.
• A report outlining the proposed model for allocating Volumetric Water Benefits baseline indicators for sustainable water balance, good water governance, improved water quality status, and Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) water stewardship outcomes.
• Drafting of the baseline report with input from the ZOA and partners.

Duration and Timeline:

• The baseline study is expected to take six (28) days, and the consultant will be expected to deliver the final report at the end of the engagement.
• The consultant will be expected to report, and their payment will be subject to satisfactory completion of agreed-upon milestones.
• The specific timeline and milestones will be agreed upon between the consultant and ZOA.

Qualifications

• To conduct a volumetric water benefit assessment, a consultant would typically need a background in water resource management or a related field, as well as experience in hydrology and Civil (water) engineering.

Some specific qualifications that would be helpful for a consultant to have to include:

• A Degree in a related field such as Civil Engineering, Environmental Science or Hydrology.
• Knowledge of water resource management and policy, as well as the ability to analyze complex water management issues.
• Experience with modeling and simulation tools for hydrological analysis and water resource planning.
• Familiarity with the regulatory frameworks and guidelines that govern water use and management.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively communicate the results of the assessment to stakeholders and decision-makers.
• The ability to work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams that may include scientists, engineers, policy experts, and community members.
• Overall, the consultant should have a strong technical background in water management and analysis, as well as the ability to work with diverse stakeholders to assess the volumetric benefits of water resources in each context.