SENEGAL RIVER BASINJill Kjellsson

February 28, 2012

Overview

Background Information Issues the Basin Faces Organization Development Lessons Learned

Background

Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal

1800 km

Major Tributaries: Bafing, Bakoye, Faleme, Karakoro, Gorgol

3 sections: Upper, Valley and Delta

Population: 3.5 million (85% live near river)

Areas and Rainfall by Country

Country Total area of the country

(km2)

Area of the country

within the basin (km2)

As % of total area of

basin (%)

As % of total area of

country (%)

Average annual rainfall in the

basin area (mm)

Guinea 245,857 29,475 6.1 12.0 1,475

Mali 1,240,190 139,098 28.8 11.2 855

Mauritania 1,025,520 242,742 50.2 23.7 270

Senegal 196,720 71,866 14.9 36.5 520

For Senegal basin

483,181 550

Activity in the Basin

Agriculture

Fishing

Other: sugar cane production, rice farming, mining (small)

Navigation

Manantali Dam

Built in1986

Prevent flooding during rainy season and provide freshwater during dry season

In 2002, put online for hydroelectric power production

700 GWh/year

Mali (52%), Mauritania (15%), Senegal (33%)

Diama Dam

Built in 1988

Prevents salt water intrusion

Raises level of upstream water creating reserves for irrigation and double cropping

Current Issues

Drought

Extreme Poverty

Environmental Impact of the 2 Dams

Waterborne Diseases

Degraded Pastureland and Fisheries

Population Growth

Development of Organizations

1963 - Bamako Convention; Interstate Committee (CIE)

1968 - Labe Convention; Organization of Boundary States (OERS)

1972 - Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS)

2002 – Senegal River Charter

2005 – Guinea rejoins the OMVS

Participatory Approach: Water Development and Management Master Plan (SDAGE)

Organized and Implemented by the OMVS with support from: BRL Consulting Firm Eau Vive NGO The French Agency for

Development

3 Phases Phase 1 - Diagnose Conditions Phase 2 - Develop Regional

Sectoral Plans Phase 3 - Develop the SDAGE

Documentary being shown at the 6th World Water Forum in March

Lessons Learned

1) Stakeholder participation should be included at all levels of decision-making processes for optimal mutual gain.

2) Lack of participation of all basin nations weakens the overall negotiations and creates opportunity losses for those not participating.

3) Mutually beneficial projects and integrated investments create good neighbors.

From Oregon State University’s Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database

Works Cited

[1] http://webworld.unesco.org/water/wwap/case_studies/senegal_river/[2] http://www.fao.org/docrep/W4347E/w4347e0h.htm[3]

http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/research/case_studies/OMVS_New.htm

[4] http://gridnairobi.unep.org/chm/waterbasins/senegal_river_basin-17-03-08.jpg [5]

http://www.solutionsforwater.org/solutions/participatory-approach-for-the-design-of-a-water-development-and-management-master-plan-sdage-in-the-senegal-river-basin

[6]http://www.counterpart.org/images/uploads/397%20Blog%20Senegal%20100608_SN_010.JPG

[7] http://www.tractebel-engineering-gdfsuez.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/TEF_08-Manantali-1.jpg?9d7bd4

[8] http://www.eosnap.com/public/media/2008/11/africariver/20081126-africariver-full.jpg

[9] http://cmsdata.iucn.org/img/r_tow_africawest_284_4221.jpg[10] http://www.guideforafrica.com/images/africa/senegal-river.jpg[11] http://en.structurae.de/photos/index.cfm?JS=95748

Questions

1) What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of allocating water to use sectors rather than to countries are? Do you think other countries should allocate water this way instead? Why might they or why might they not choose to allocate water in this way?

2) What impact (positive or negative) does Guinea’s absence from the OMVS have on the basin’s development?

3) Do you believe that similar cooperation is possible in other basins or were the circumstances in the Senegal River basin (decolonization and structuring of national infrastructure at the same time, mutual need for ways to lessen the impacts of severe drought, etc) so unique that the development based on mutual benefits is only possible here?

4) Do you think the participatory approach of developing the SDAGE currently being utilized in the basin can be used in other regions? What factors contribute to the success of such an approach and what factors hinder it?