Advancing water security in Africa with new high-resolution discharge data

Using remote sensing data and hydrological modeling system, the 1-km runoff field simulated by VegET, was routed with mizuRoute. Performance metrics show strong model reliability, with R² of 0.5–0.9, NSE of 0.6–0.9, and KGE of 0.5–0.8 at the continental scale.

The total average annual discharge for Africa is quantified at 3271.4 km³·year −1 , with contributions to oceanic basins: 1000.0 km³·year −1 to the North Atlantic, primarily from the Senegal, Gambia, Volta, and Niger Rivers; 1327.2 km³·year −1 to the South Atlantic, largely from the Congo River; 214.7 km³·year −1 to the Mediterranean Sea, predominantly from the Nile River; and 729.4 km³·year −1 to the Indian Ocean, with inputs from rivers such as the Zambezi.