Across Ghana, where climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of water-related disasters such as floods and droughts, strengthening hydrological monitoring systems and improving access to reliable river flow data has become essential.
These efforts are critical for enhancing early warning systems, supporting informed decision-making, and building resilience to a changing climate. In this context, citizen science, where non-professionals participate in scientific research, is emerging as an innovative approach to complement conventional monitoring networks while actively engaging local communities.
UNESCO, through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), in collaboration with GroundTruth and the Youth Bridge Foundation, organized a three-day training workshop in Ghana to equip young leaders with the knowledge and methodologies needed to engage in river flow monitoring via citizen science. Bringing together youth from diverse regions and backgrounds, the initiative aimed to build local expertise in monitoring key river flow parameters, such as water depth, flow velocity, and discharge.
These data are essential to better assess flood and drought risks, strengthening early warning systems, and supporting sustainable water resources management, particularly in the face of increasing climate variability.
