Recognizing the need for strong hydrological monitoring, the BRIGHT project embarked on the rehabilitation of the only three crumbling river gauging stations in Addis Ababa, a city home to an estimated over 5 million people. Dr. Ermias Teferi, Water Division Director at WLRC, indicated that the rehabilitation was done along with other Upper Awash hydrology stations using vandalism-resistant, marble-based concrete pillars that provide a more secure and sustainable foundation for long-term data collection. Those stations are:
- Great Akaki at Akaki Bridge (8.876354°N, 38.784782°E)
- Little Akaki at Burayu (9.051987°N, 38.682448°E) – downstream of Gefersa Reservoir
- Mutinicha (9.060419°N, 38.923025°E) – downstream of Dire Reservoir
Building on the progress achieved through the BRIGHT Project, further investments are needed to improve the quality and reliability of existing stations, expand the monitoring network by establishing more stations, and integrate real-time data collection systems to support early warning, planning, and decision-making for the City and its residents.