Estimating the influence of land-use on hydrological parameters of the peatlands of the Itimbiri River Basin, north-eastern Congo Basin

This study aims to develop a hydrological model for the Itimbiri River Basin to assess available water resources and support decision-making for effective and sustainable water resource management. Historical climatic and hydrological data were utilized using the soil moisture method integrated into the WEAP hydrological model. The modeling results are satisfactory, with performance indicators such as an NSE of 0.65, an R² of 0.75, SqrtNSE,0,71 and a PBIAS of -2%, demonstrating the model's ability to accurately replicate the basin's hydrological regimes. The study provides a comprehensive approach to sustainable water resource management and emphasizes the need to establish a dense and reliable hydro-climatic monitoring network to ensure regular and rigorous tracking of water resources in the Itimbiri River Basin.