Geographical context - The Inner Niger Delta for which OPIDIN provides an annual flood forecast is flooded by the Niger and Bani rivers. The headwaters are situated in the Upper Niger Basin. The Niger river is a typical Sahelian river with a distinct wet and dry season.
OPIDIN avant la lettre - OPIDIN is inspired by the thorough collective knowledge of the communities of the flooding of the Inner Niger Delta, and the way they adapt their way of living – since time immemorial – to the life in a floodplain. Some background information is provided here.
OPIDIN as Early Warning System – the tool can serve in many ways as Early Warning System for the communities in the Inner Niger Delta and for authorities on a regional and national level. Several examples are given.
Technical background – The technical development of OPIDIN is based on the long term monitoring of water levels in the Upper Niger Basin and Inner Niger Delta by the Direction Nationale Hydraulique in Mali.
