Published in June 2019

Sand Dams Worldwide recently received the first month’s data from our water yield study being conducted in partnership with Oxford and Cranfield universities and the Africa Sand Dam Foundation (our partners in southeast Kenya).

The study aims to demonstrate the amount of water that can be abstracted from a sand dam. It does this by using smart meters attached to the handles of handpumps (connected to the sand dams).

To see how sand dams work, click here: www.sanddamsworldwide.com/what-is-a-sand-dam 

30 smart meters were installed in southeast Kenya. The accelerometers designed by Oxford University are able to measure the movement of the handpumps, and then translate this motion into the volume of water abstracted. This data is then transmitted by text message to our central database.

While we only have one month’s data so far, the results are looking very promising, with over 90,000 litres being pumped from one sand dam alone. The highest daily volume recorded in May was from the 'Wikwatyo wa Muini' sand dam, with 20,000 litres being pumped in a single day.

This shows just what a difference a sand dam can make to entire communities. Not only is there enough to cover the community’s basic needs, but there is also plenty left over for them to use as irrigation for their farms, boosting their nutrition and income.

The study will continue to collect data for another two years, providing us with a really robust data set which will clearly demonstrate just how much water can be abstracted from a sand dam.

Please donate what you can to help rural communities transform their own lives with sand dams and climate-smart farming, and ensure no one gets left behind