Honduras
was not prepared for a major natural disaster like
Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Officials were unable to
gauge how quickly the rivers were rising from the
intense rain, and thus did not know when to take
the necessary steps to evacuate people to secure
areas. On the other end of the spectrum, droughts
are common in parts of Honduras, but residents
usually do not become aware of the shrinking rivers
until it is too late.
Being
able to measure the depth and flow of rivers during
both the rainy and dry seasons is vital
to the health and well-being of Hondurans. Working
with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,
USAID helped Honduras construct and implement a hydrological
network that helps the government track this information.
Twenty-three
telemetric stations were set up throughout the country
to measure precipitation and river levels and transmit
the data to satellites. The information is then posted
on the Internet, where engineers, emergency agencies,
power plants, and communities can access timely and
accurate water information - essential to preparing
for and mitigating flood and drought disasters. Now
that officials can track river levels, they are better
able to plan targeted evacuations during heavy rains
and help farmers better prepare for droughts during
the dry season.