A Multi-Thematic Geodatabase and Spatial Atlas for the Kigezi Highlands, Uganda - Supporting Integrated Water Resources Management

A Multi-Thematic Geodatabase and Spatial Atlas for the Kigezi Highlands, Uganda — Supporting Integrated Water Resources Management This dataset presents a consistent, spatially coherent geodatabase and accompanying spatial atlas for the Kigezi Highlands, southwestern Uganda (Kanungu, Rukungiri, Rubanda, Kisoro, and Kabale districts), developed under the KI-WATER project (APPEAR 365), funded by the Austrian Development Agency through International Partnerships Austria and implemented by OeAD. The project is a partnership between Kabale University (Uganda) and BOKU University Vienna (Austria), running from May 2025 to April 2027. The geodatabase integrates thematic datasets on general spatial data (administrative boundaries, elevation, infrastructure), water resources management (hydrological sites, lakes, rivers, sub-watersheds), hydro-meteorological data (rainfall, temperature, evapotranspiration, and climatic water balance, 1958–2024), land use and land cover (LULC, NDVI, wetlands, soil types, erosion), and climate change projections (precipitation under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 for 2041–2060 and 2081–2100). Data were processed and analyzed in R/RStudio and visualized in QGIS 3.40.4. All datasets are provided as GeoPackages, each with its associated QGIS style embedded. High-resolution versions of all thematic maps in the atlas are available in the 07_MAPS folder. Detailed metadata, including data sources, spatial resolution, and access URLs are listed in the METADATA.xlsx file. This resource is intended to support spatial analysis, environmental monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making for integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the Kigezi Highlands.