Project:

Cyprus Water Resources Databases Development

The U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus requested the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to develop and implement a project designed to enhance bicommunal activity on the island between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The goal of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Water Resources Databases Development Project was to assist the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities to better manage the island's limited water resources by working with them to update their water information storage into modern, computerized database systems. A project was designed to (1) help the major water agencies for each community develop (separate) hydrologic databases and (2) provide hydrology-oriented training to upgrade technical skills for many of their scientists. The project helped the two communities achieve parity in water information management such that they can share data to implement island-wide water management when such action becomes politically feasible.

The database functionalities were implemented as soon as they were developed. The work had a major, positive impact on the data management operations of the Cypriot participants. In addition to notable progress in their data handling and allocations capabilities, construction of the databases prompted a review of the data processing steps in each agency. This review resulted in significant improvements in operating efficiency, thus conserving departmental resources. The water managers also realized a tangible and demonstrable improvement in data sharing among the various participants (within each community) and an increased willingness to work together to achieve common goals.

Bicommunal training was a major element of the project. Training events included Databases for Managers, Databases for Users, Basic Statistics for Water Resources, Basic Geographical Information Systems, Advanced Statistics for Water Resources, Ground-Water Flow Modeling, Advanced Geographical Information Systems, and a variety of local computer courses, including Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Introduction to NT/2000 Networks, Windows 2000 Network and Operating Systems Essentials, and Implementing MS Windows 200 Professional and Server.. The events were very successful and promoted both social and professional interaction among participants who had not been permitted to communicate since 1974. Mutual collegial respect was demonstrated and reinforced at each event.