CONGORIVES - Mapping the Congo River

Context and objectives

The overall objective of this proposal is to enhance the expedition impact by contributing to specific issues related to the Congo river and by supporting the scientific collaboration development between DRCongo and Belgium.

1. The first specific objective is to map the extent and characterize the flooding seasonality of the edaphic forests along the Congo river.   Indeed, the possible impact on forest and biodiversity due any water regime change are really unknown while climate change and major infrastructure project (water supply by connexion from Ubangi river to lake Tchad or from Congo basin to Nile river) are expected to happen.
   
   
   
2. The second objective is to design and implement a collaborative approach involving local partners based on web 2.0 technologies to produce a first 1 : 200 000 map sheet covering one of the selected stops of the expedition.  This would be both a collaborative demonstration of a new fast-track production for map sheet and a very useful output on the long term. The Kisangani sheet could be selected also because of our involvement in training course in geomatics at UNIKIS already planned for January 2010.
   
   
   
3. The third objective is to prepare an overview map for the Congo river transect including land cover and land cover change information as well as toponyms and a new river delineation based on recent SPOT 5 data set.  Thanks to a close partnership with OSFAC, a Congolese NGO based in Kinshasa, this product will map the direct environment of the expedition.  In addition the river bank and sand bank delineation between Kisangani and M’Bandaka will be completed while the section from M’Bandaka to Kinshasa has been recently done. 
   
   
   
4. The fourth objective is to design and implement a system in web 2.0 technology to inventory and map based on Google Earth all the scientific collaboration involving Congolese and Belgian partners spread over the DRC territory.  The networking product could be taken over by the RMAC if considered complementary to METAFRO, successful and considered useful on a long term basis.
   
   
   
5. The fifth objective is to reset a geodetic network along the Congo River by rehabilitating a part of the geodetic network of the DRC based on the restoration/building  of old geodetic markers and their accurate DGPS measurements.