SMART WETLANDS FOR FLOOD CONTROL AND PRAWN AQUACULTURE
The Mission
Flooding and water pollution severely affect Isoko communities like Irri, damaging infrastructure and contaminating water sources.
This project proposes a smart wetland system that reduces flooding, improves water quality, and supports prawn aquaculture for sustainable community benefits.
The Challenge
Isoko communities like Irri face frequent flooding and water pollution, which damage homes, spread disease, and reduce water quality, with limited access to affordable control and monitoring solutions.
Frequent seasonal flooding damages homes, roads, and farmlands in Irri and neighboring Isoko communities.
Floodwaters contaminate drinking sources, leading to increased cases of cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne diseases.
Oil spills, erosion, and agricultural runoff pollute rivers and wetlands, reducing water quality and harming aquatic life.
The region lacks low-cost, community-led solutions for flood control and water purification.
There is limited access to real-time monitoring tools that could help predict floods or detect pollution early.
Strategic Response
A smart wetland system that uses plants, microbes, and prawns to filter floodwater, with sensors for real-time monitoring to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and support aquaculture.
Smart Constructed Wetlands and Prawn Aquaculture, an innovative
nature-based system that:
Filters floodwaters using wetland plants and microbes
Uses prawns to turn waste into value.
Uses real-time monitoring to track water quality and system health.
Innovation Highlights:
Eco-engineering: Blends natural systems with engineered design.
Blue Economy: Supports aquatic food systems and jobs.
Data-Driven: In-situ Water quality meter for adaptive management.
Sustainability and scalability
Eco-Smart Design:
Uses local materials, native plants, and non-invasive prawn species.
Modular & Replicable: Scalable across other Niger Delta communities.
Global Alignment:
SDG 6 (Clean Water)
SDG 13 (Climate Action)
SDG 14 (Life Below Water)
Embraces Blue Economy for sustainable aquatic development.
Local Context and Global Relevance
Reflects wider Niger Delta water issues.
Mirrors global challenges around water resilience in vulnerable communities.
HOW IT WORKS: Visual flow
Tech features
In-Situ Water Quality Meter
Continuously measures key parameters such as:
Water level – for real-time flood alerts
pH and turbidity – to detect pollution and water quality shifts
ORP, TDS, and salinity – for tracking ecosystem health (as needed)
Digital Monitoring System
GIS Mapping + Remote sensing – Visualizes data, identifies trends, and predicts flood or pollution risks
Community Access Interface
Mobile App – Designed for youth teams to report, view, and manage data
SMS Alerts – Delivers updates to elders and off-grid residents without
Community impact
Flood Control: Lowers flood intensity and helps prevent frequent waterlogging.
Water Quality Improvement: Enhances sanitation and reduces waterborne illnesses.
Blue Economy Empowerment: Engages youth in sustainable prawn farming and digital monitoring.
Community Leadership: Promotes local involvement in maintenance and shared decision-making.
Implementation Roadmap
Community Engagement & Site Assessment
Meet Irri community stakeholders
Form local volunteer team-
Identify flood-prone zones using GPS + local
knowledge- Collect baseline water samples
Wetland Design & Construction Begins
Co-design system with local input
Excavate and build wetland basin & embankments-Plant native vegetation
Dig and prepare prawn pond
Install water quality sensors (pH, turbidity, water level)
Sensor Installation & Prawn Stocking
Set up solar-powered dashboard or manual logbook- Stock Macrobrachium prawns in aquaculture pond
Begin daily feeding and monitoring
Community Training & System Use
Train youth and women in prawn farming, water
testing, and wetland maintenance
Launch sensitization programs
Set up SMS alerts and public dashboard
Ongoing Monitoring & Midterm Evaluation
Monitor water quality and prawn growth- Collect
community feedback
Address system issues or improvements- Document lessons for scale-up
Prawn Harvesting & Final Evaluation
Harvest mature prawns
Assess water purification impact and flood control - Share project results with community and local leaders
Prepare scale-up plan and final report