List Groundwater Maps Africa
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Hydrogeological and Groundwater Maps in Africa
The lists below give details of more than 60 hydrogeological and thematic groundwater maps of all or parts of Africa, at various scales. Many of these maps are available to view online, and weblinks are provided where relevant.
If you know of maps that aren't on this list but should be, please let us know! Email us: AfricaGWAtlas@bgs.ac.uk
Continental Maps
Hydrogeological Maps of Africa
Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find | Notes |
Groundwater resources of Africa | 2018 | BGR / WHYMAP | Paper , pdf | Special edition produced for 7th Africa Water Week. Depicts current status on groundwater resources mapping in Africa. Includes cross sections, TBA maps and information from regional hydrogeological studies | |||
Transboundary aquifers of Africa | 2018 | IGRAC and UNESCO-IHP | GIS; pdf | Available to view in Online map portal; pdf | |||
Groundwater (aquifer) productivity for Africa | 2012 | nominal 1:20 million | MacDonald et al | BGS | xyz tab-delimited text file (easily convertible to raster/grid in GIS) | Download digital map | Part of Quantitative Maps of Africa set. Shows estimated relative aquifer productivity based on potential borehole yield (properly located, constructed etc) as a proxy, with 6 classes from Very High (> 20 l/s) to Very Low (< 0.1 l/s) |
Groundwater storage for Africa | 2012 | nominal 1:20 million | MacDonald et al | BGS | xyz tab-delimited text file (easily convertible to raster/grid in GIS) | Download digital map | Part of Quantitative Maps of Africa set. Shows potential groundwater storage as water depth in mm, with 6 classes from 0 to > 50,000 mm |
Depth to groundwater for Africa | 2012 | nominal 1:20 million | MacDonald et al | BGS | xyz tab-delimited text file (easily convertible to raster/grid in GIS) | Download digital map | Part of Quantitative Maps of Africa set. Shows potential groundwater storage as water depth in mm, with 6 classes from 0 to > 50,000 mm |
Groundwater resources map of Africa | 2008 | WHYMAP | Scanned pdf map | Scanned pdf map | Extract from ‘Groundwater Resources map of the World | ||
Carte hydrogeologique de l’Afrique | 2008 | 1:10 million | Jean Jaques Seguin et al | BRGM | Project webpage | Not currently available to download | |
Hydrogeological map of Africa | 1992 | 1:5 million | Safar Zitoun, M. & Nouiouat, A.C | Organisation Africaine de Cartographie et de Télédétection (OACT) | Scanned image available to view in WHYMAP/WHYMIS portal | ||
Major Hydrogeological Formations (after Geological Map of Africa, 1:5,000,000) | 1988 | 1:5 million | United Nations | Scanned image available to view in WHYMAP/WHYMIS portal |
Hydrogeological and Thematic Groundwater Maps of the world that include Africa
Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find |
Groundwater resources of the world | 2008 | 1:25 million & 1:40 million | WHYMAP | Vector shapefile; webmap service; view online; pdf poster; printed map | Download shapefile or poster pdf; web map service; view online on WHYMAP Viewer or IGRAC online portal; for a printed copy contact whymap@bgr.de | |
Groundwater and river basins of the world | 2012 | WHYMAP | Vector shapefile; webmap service; view online; pdf poster; printed map | Download shapefile or poster pdf; web map service; view online on WHYMAP Viewer; for a printed copy contact whymap@bgr.de | ||
Global transboundary aquifer (TBA) maps | 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 | IGRAC and UNESCO-IHP | Shapefile; view online; printed map on poster | IGRAC online portal | ||
Global Groundwater vulnerability to floods & droughts | 2015 | 1: 25 million | WHYMAP | Vector shapefile; webmap service; view online; pdf poster; printed map | Download shapefile or poster pdf; web map service; view online on WHYMAP Viewer; for a printed copy contact whymap@bgr.de | |
World Karst Aquifer Map | 2017 | WHYMAP | Vector shapefile; webmap service; view online; pdf poster; printed map | Download shapefile or poster pdf; web map service; view online on WHYMAP Viewer; for a printed copy contact whymap@bgr.de |
Regional / Multi-Country Groundwater Maps
Hydrogeological Regional Maps
Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find | Notes |
Ramotswa Aquifer | 2018? | Ramotswa project consortium | Created as shapefiles. Available to view in online portal. | Ramotswa Information Management System (RIMS) | Online portal with maps of the Ramotswa aquifer (Botswana + South Africa). Multiple map layers including aquifer boundary, location of springs, groundwater levels and quality parameters, recharge. | ||
SADC Hydrogeological map | 2010 | 1:2.5 million | Sweco Internationl (Sweden); Council for Geoscience (South Africa); Water Geosciences Consulting (South Africa) and Water Resources Consultants (Botswana). | Created as shapefiles. | Online portal | Hydrogeological map shows aquifer lithology, flow type and groundwater potential | |
Middle East Hydrogeology / Vorderer Orient Hydrogeologie | 1990 | 1: 8 million | Schöler et al | Universität Tübingen, Germany | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | ||
Hydrogeological Map of the Arab Region and Adjacent Areas | 1988 | 1:5 million | J Khouri & A Droubi | Regional Office for Science & Technology in the Arab States, ACSAD; WRD & UNESCO | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | Covers Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, (CAR?), Algeria, Morocco, WS, Mauritania, parts of Mali, Niger & Chad | |
Map of groundwater resource potentiality of West and Central Africa | 1986 | 1: 5 million | BRGM Paris | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | Combines type of reservoir, mainly based on lithology and potentiality grades, based on number of wells/sources inventoried. | ||
North Africa – Tunesia, Algeria | 1983 | 1: 1 million | Stuckmann et al | German Research Society, Berlin | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | ||
Carte de Planification des Ressources en Eau du Gabon et du Congo | 1982 | 1: 1 million | Comité Interafricain d’Etudes Hydrauliques, Ouagadougou & BRGM, Orléans | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | Represents ‘renewable resource of aquifers as fraction of mean effective precipitation. Also shows exploitable reserves, main geological formations, rivers, main wells | ||
Carte de Planification des ressources en eau du Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, du Togo et due Benin | 1978 | 1:1 million | Bourgeois | Comite Interafricain d’Etudes Hydrauliques, Ougadougou / BRGM | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | ||
Carte de planification pour l’exploitation des eaux souterraines de l’Afrique soudano-sahelienne | 1976 | 1:1.5 million | BRGM with Bureau Central d’Etudes pour les equipments Outre-Mer (Mali) & Comite Inter-africain d’Etudes Hydrauliques (Niger) | ||||
Groundwater in North and West Africa | 1975 | 1:4 million | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | ||||
Carte hydrogeologique du Congo Belge et du Ruanda Urundi | 1957 | 1:5 million | M J Snel | Service Geologique du Congo Belge | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Thematic Regional Groundwater Map
Region | Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find | Notes |
SADC | Groundwater drought risk maps | 2013 | n/a | Villholth, Tøttrup, Stendel & Maherry. | IWMI | GIS | Available to view in SADC online portal | Developed as part of the spatial analysis tool GRiMMS (Groundwater Drought Risk Mapping and Management System). Described in Villholth, Tøttrup, Stendel & Maherry. 2013. Integrated mapping of groundwater drought risk in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Hydrogeology Journal (2013) 21: 863–885. DOI 10.1007/s10040-013-0968-1 |
National (Country) Hydrogeological Maps
Hydrogeological national maps
Country | Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find |
Angola | Mapa Hidrogeologico de Angola | 1990 | 1:1.5 million | Hidroprojecto Consultores de Hidraulica e Salubridade SA, Lisboa & MacDonald & Partners Ltd Cambridge | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Benin | Carte hydrogéologique du Bénin | 2012 | 1:500,000 | GIZ & DGEau | Available to download | ||
Benin | Cartes hydrogéologiques du Bénin | 2012 | 1:250,000 | GIZ & DGEau | Pdf? | ||
Benin | Carte hydrogéologique du Bénin | 1985 | 1:500,000 | Engalenc | Service des Mines et de la Géologie & Fonds Européen de Développemen | Paper, scanned pdf | |
Botswana | Groundwater resources map of the Republic of Botswana | 1987 | 1:1 million | von Hoyer & Struckmeier | Geological Survey Department, Lobatse | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Burundi | Map of groundwater potential of Burundi (Carte des potentialites en eaux souteraines du Burundi) | 2011 | 1:250,000 | BRGM | Image available to view in Gutierrez & Barrat (2016) | ||
Cameroon | Carte de planification des ressources en eau du Cameroun | 1979 | 1:1,000,000 | Bourgeois | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Central African Republic | Carte de Planification des Ressources en Eau de la République Centrafricain | 1987 | 1:1,500,000 | Ricolvi | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Chad (Tchad) | Carte Hydrogeologique de la Republique du Tchad | 1969 | 1:500,000 | Scheider & Wolff | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Core d'Ivoire | Carte de Planification des Ressources en Eau de Côte d'Ivoire | 1978 | 1:1,000,000 | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Core d'Ivoire | Carte de Planification de Reconnaissance de la Côte d'Ivoire | 1964 | 1:1,000,000 | Maillary | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Djibouti | Carte de Reconnaissance des Eaux Souterraines de la Republique de Djibouti | 1983 | 1:300,000 | Müller et al | Service du Genie Rural, Djibouti & BGR, Hannover | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Egypt | Hydrogeological Map of Egypt | 1988 | 1:2 million | Research Institute for Groundwater, Giza / Water Research Center, Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources Arab Republic of Egypt | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
eSwatini | Groundwater resources of Swaziland: Hydrogeological Map | 1992 | 1:250,000 | Canadian International Development Agency; Kingdom of Swaziland Department of Geological Surveys and Mines. Georeferenced and converted to GIS format by IGRAC, 2020 | Paper, scanned pdf, digital georeferenced | Digital georeferenced version available to view in SADC GIP. View scanned image of original map in WHYMIS portal | |
Ethiopia | Hydrogeological Map of Ethiopia | 1988 | 1:2 million | Chernet | Ethiopian Institute of Geological Surveys, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Addis Abeba | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Lesotho | Hydrogeological map of Lesotho | >1993 | 1:300,000 | Arduino et al | Government of Lesotho Ministry of Natural Resources, Department of Water Affairs, Ground Water Division; Government of Italy General Directorate of Development Cooperation | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Libya | Groundwater maps of the Kingdom of Libya | 1964 | 1:4 million | Jones | USGS | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Madagascar | Carte Hydrogeologie de Madagascar | 2008 | 1:500,000 | Davies | BGS | ||
Malawi | Hydrogeological and water quality map | 2015 | 1:650,000 | Saeze & Roos | Council for Geoscience, Republic of South Africa, for Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Water Development | Download from BASEflow site | |
Malawi | Hydrogeological reconnaissance map of Malawi | 1987 | 1:250,000 | Basali et al | Department of Surveys, Blantyre | ||
Mauritania | Hydrogeologic map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania | 2013 | USGS & Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines | Image of map available to view in report | |||
Mauritius | Ile Maurice (Mauritius) Carte Geologique au 1:50 000 Schema hydrogeologique | 1999 | 1:50,000 | Giorgi et al | Republique du Maurice; Union Europeene; Ministere des Affaires Etrangers Cooperation et Francophonie | ||
Mozambique | Carta Hidrogeologica de Mocambique | 1987 | 1:1 million | Ferro & Bouman | Direccao Nacional de Aguas, Ministerio da Constucao e Aguas, Maputo | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Namibia | Hydrogeological Map of Namibia | 2001 | 1:1 million | van Wyk et al | Geological Survey Namibia, Department of Water Affairs, Windhoek & Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Hannover | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal; explanations in report Groundwater in Namibia (Christelis and Struckmeier 2001/2011) | |
Niger | Carte de reconnaissance hydrogeologique du Niger Sud Oriental | 1964 | 1:1 million | F Pirard | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Senegal | Carte Hydrogéologique de la République du Senegal | 1965 | 1:500,000 | Depagne, Moussu & Margat | BRGM | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Somalia | Regional Hydrogeological Map of Somaliland and Puntland | 2012 | 1:750,000 | Stevanovic & Milanovic | FAO UN, SWALIM | Available to download from FAO-SWALIM | |
Somalia | Hydrogeological Map - Somalia | 1971 | 1:1 million | Popov | Ministry of Mining & Water Resources, Mogadiscio | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
South Africa | Groundwater harvest potential of the Republic of South Africa | 1996 | 1:3 million | Seymour et al | DWAF, Pretoria | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal. See also DWAF. |
South Africa | Groundwater resources of the Republic of South Africa – Sheet 1 | 1995 | 1: 2.5 million | Vegter et al | DWAF, Pretoria | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal. See also DWAF. |
South Africa | Groundwater resources of the Republic of South Africa – Sheet 2 | 1995 | 1: 2.5 million | Vegter et al | DWAF, Pretoria | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal. See also DWAF. |
South Africa | Hydrogeological Map of the Republic of South Africa | 2004 | 1:2 million | I du Toit | Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, Pretoria | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
South Africa | Geohydrological Map Series of South Africa | 1998-2002 | 1:500,000 | Girmann et al | DWAF, Pretoria | ||
Sudan | Hydrogeological Map of Sudan | 1989 | 1:2 million | National Corporation for Development of Rural Water Resources, Sudan & TNO-DGV Institute of Applied Geoscience, The Netherlands | Paper | ||
Tanzania | Hydrogeological map of Tanzania | 1990 | 1:500,000 | Sir M MacDonald & Partners Ltd, Cambridge with Hidroprojecto Consultores de Hidraulica e Salubridade, SA, Lisboa | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Tunisia | Carte des ressources en eau de la Tunisie | 1990 | 1:500,000 | Zebidi | Direction Générale des Ressources en Eau, Tunis. | Paper | |
Uganda | Hydrogeological map of Uganda | 1989 | 1: 1.5 million | Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners / Institute of Hydrology / BGS | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Zambia | Hydrogeological Map of Zambia | 1990 / 2018 | 1:1.5 million | Original map by MacDonald & Partners; reissued by WARMA & BGR. | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image of original map (1990) in WHYMIS portal. New map available to download as pdf from BGR | |
Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Regional Hydrogeological Map | 1986 | 1: 500,000 | Ministry of Energy & Water Resources & Development, Harare | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal |
Country | Date | Scale | Publishing Organisation | Format | Notes |
10 maps of main aquifers in 10 African countries | 1977 | 1:5 million | BRGM | Paper | Funded by EEC and FAC (French Fund for Aid & Cooperation). Based on inventory of docs in CNRS, UNESCO & BRGM. Represents main continuous & discontinuous aquifers, graded according to facies, mean thickness & overall flow rates & water quality |
Thematic National Groundwater Maps
Country | Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find | Notes |
Botswana | Groundwater pollution vulnerability map | 1995 | 1:1 million | Busch & von Hoyer | Geological Survey Department, Lobatse | Paper, scanned pdf | ||
Ethiopia | Water security and drought | 2001 | 1:3.5 million | MacDonald et al | BGS | View e in WHYMIS portal | ||
Mauritania | Chemical Hydrologic Map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania | 2013 | USGS & Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines | Image of map available to view in report | ||||
Mauritania | Diagrammatic Geological Map - Location of Mauritania's Main Aquifers | 1975 | 1:2,500,000 | Elouard, P., Paloc, H., Barrere, J. et al. | UN | Paper map in report, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
South Africa | MAR suitability map | 2009 | DWP | Paper, scanned pdf | Available to view in IGRAC online portal |
Some Sub-national (e.g. district, catchment, aquifer) Hydrogeological and Thematic Groundwater Maps
Country | Map Title | Date | Scale | Editors | Publishing Organisation | Format | Where to find | Notes |
Ethiopia | Groundwater availability in Benishangul-Gumuz region, Ethiopia | 2009 | Ó Dochartaigh | BGS / RIPPLE | Created in GIS; available only as pdf | Ó Dochartaigh (2009) | Thematic map on poster with information on how it was developed | |
Ethiopia | Groundwater Potential of part of Benishangul-Gumuz region, Ethiopia | 2008 | Lemacha | WaterAid Ethiopia / RIPPLE | Created in GIS; available only as pdf | Lemacha 2008) | Thematic map on poster with information on how it was developed | |
Ethiopia | 37 maps in Abbay river basin, Ethiopia | 1997 | BRGM / BCEOM / ISL | Maps created for 'Abbay river basin integrated development master plan project' | ||||
Ghana | Groundwater development potential map for the Northern Region, Ghana | 2011 | Ó Dochartaigh et al | BGS | Created in GIS; available only as pdf in report | Ó Dochartaigh et al (2011) | ||
Ghana | Afram Plains Groundwater Development Map | 2002 | Davies & Cobbing | BGS | Created in GIS; available only as pdf in report | Davies & Cobbing (2002) | ||
Kenya | Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) suitability map for North Kenya | 2013 | Acacia Water | Available to view in IGRAC online portal | ||||
Madagascar | Carte Hydrogeologique du Sud de Madagascar | 1957 | 1:500,000 | J Aurouze | Service Geologique de Madagascar | Paper, scanned pdf | View scanned image in WHYMIS portal | |
Niger/Nigeria | The transboundary hydrogeological map of the Komadugu-Yobe basin (Niger/Nigeria) | 2018 | 1:1,000,000 | Rückl | Lake Chad Basin Commission / BGR | Created in GIS; pdf available to view in report | Rückl (2018) | |
Nigeria | Groundwater development maps of Oju and Obi Local Areas, eastern Nigeria | 1998 | 1:100,000 | MacDonald & Davies | BGS | Created in GIS; available only as pdf in report | MacDonald & Davies (1998) | |
Somalia | Hydrogeological Maps for four selected areas of interest in Somaliland and Puntland | 2012 | 1:250,000 | FAO UN, SWALIM | Available to download from FAO-SWALIM | |||
Tanzania | Groundwater Potential Maps for Nzega and Tabora study areas, Tanzania | 2002 | Davies & Ó Dochartaigh | BGS | Created in GIS; available only as pdf in report | Davies & Ó Dochartaigh (2002) | Maps with accompanying table describing geology, groundwater targets, quality and recommended field development techniques | |
Uganda | Groundwater Maps of Uganda | 1:175,000 | A series of maps produced during the Groundwater Mapping Programme. Six map types, including water supply coverage, hydrochemical characteristics, water quality, hydrogeological characteristics, groundwater potential and groundwater supply technology options |
Unlisted Maps
As well as the maps in the lists above, there are other maps at a country or sub-country scale, many of which were produced and/or edited by BRGM. The BRGM maps are mainly in Sahelian countries (see the map below). They were produced between 1952 and 2010, and are held in BRGM archives. Most of the maps exist as pdf images; a few are in paper (hard copy) format only. Also in BRGM's archives are more groundwater maps produced by other organisations, most of which are in paper format only. The details of these maps will be added to the lists on this page soon.
Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Resource pages >> Hydrogeology and Groundwater Maps of Africa >> List of Groundwater and Hydrogeology Maps in Africa