ASSESSMENT OF WATER AVAILABILITY OF THE NENE RIVER WATERSHED

This study investigates water availability in the Nene River basin using the Thornthwaite and Matter method. The general aim of the research is to quantify the water availability of this area by means of a water balance with a view to generating hydrological information of great importance for raising awareness preservation and management of water resources in the area in question. The topic was chosen because in recent years there has been pressure on water resources as a result of land use and high population growth the latter at a rate of 2-3% according to the Angolan National Institute of Statistics thus bringing about the need to carry out studies aimed at discovering whether water availability has the capacity to meet population demand. The results estimated a good and considerable renewable reserve of surface water (being the most used) with a water surplus of approximately 410 mm as well as great indicators of underground water reserves.