Large Dams and Uncertainties: The Case of the Senegal River (West Africa)

Dumas, D.; Mietton, M.; Hamerlynck, O.; Pesneaud, F.; Kane, A.; Coly, A.; Duvail, S.; Baba, M.L.O.. 2010 Large Dams and Uncertainties: The Case of the Senegal River (West Africa). Society & Natural Resources, 23 (11). 1108-1122. 10.1080/08941920903278137

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Abstract/Summary

This article examines the environmental and socioeconomic consequences of hydraulic infrastructural changes along the Senegal River valley and estuary. During the 1980s, two dams were built along the valley floor to facilitate hydroelectrical production and regular water supply for crop irrigation. In 2003, a breach was dug across Barbary Spit to alleviate flooding in the nearby Saint-Louis city. Although these structures helped regulate the river flow, they also resulted in a series of unforeseen impacts. The study examines these, after on-site measurements (topometry, water salinity, piezometry), analysis of hydrological data, field observations, and surveys with dam managers, state regional directions, and local stakeholders. It stresses the urgency of elaborating models of hydraulic management to limit the negative consequences of the hydraulic constructions. These models should consider the variety of water uses in the middle valley and delta, and also the water safety and quality (salinity) downriver from Diama Dam.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1080/08941920903278137
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Water
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Acreman
ISSN:	0894-1920
Additional Keywords:	Barbary Spit, breach, dams, management, risks, salinity, uncertainties
NORA Subject Terms:	Hydrology
Date made live:	02 Mar 2011 12:29 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13671

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