Chad Basin depth of . Due to heavy pumping, since the start of the 1980s the water levels in both aquifers has been lowered, and some wells no longer function. There is a third, much lower, aquifer in Bima Sandstones that lies at a depth of . Both the current and historical areas of the basin and the mega-basin contain concentrations of fossils. Fossil-fuels deposits in the area are estimated to exceed a trillion barrels in reserves. The Lake Chad Basin Commission was set up in 1964 by Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, the four countries that contain parts of Lake Chad.
Niger Basin Authority from the threats of desertification, deforestation and pollution of the rivers by agriculture and industry have become a major theme of their work. Nine nations which include part of the Niger Basin are members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. While a small area of Algeria falls within the Niger Basin, it is not a member of the NBA. It is based in Niamey and works in both French and English. Ministers representing the Authority's members meet in yearly session at the headquarters in Niamey, as well as locations in the member states. Additionally,