1.RFC Fiches Synoptiques-SENEGAL EUK

Synoptic sheets Rivers of the World SENEGAL SYNOPTIC SHEETS - RIVERS OF THE WORLD Senegal The Senegal River has its source in Guinea with the Bafing and Bakaye rivers, whose confluence is at Bafoulabé in Mali. After having crossed the western part of Mali, its joins the Falémé, its main tributary, and forms along the rest of its course the border between Senegal and Mauritania and then flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Saint Louis. The importance of this river in a region marked by episodes of drought, very early on strengthened the need for the four States of the basin to cooperate to develop the river, and has resulted in the creation of what is still a unique international system in terms of river governance. An “international river” The origins Deriving greater value from the river was studied beginning in the first half of the 19 th century at the start of the colonial period. The first comprehensive studies of the river were carried out in 1892. Several successive bodies brought the countries bordering the river together, but they only began to have real scope after their independence in 1958/1960. In 1963 and 1964, agreements relating to the status and development of the river were signed. The great drought that the region experienced between 1968 and 1973 strengthened the need for cooperation between the riparian States. It is in this context that in 1972 the OMVS was created, in an agreement between Senegal, Mali and Mauritania. A unique model on a global scale, it assigns to the Technical data river the status of an “international” resource, thereby implying freedom of Flow rate 640 m3/s navigation and equality between the (from 3m3/s to 5,000 m3/s) States of all forms of use of the water. Length 1,700 km The OMVS demonstrated its stability during the crisis of diplomatic relations between Watershed 337,000 km2 Senegal and Mauritania in 1989, as well as Countries crossed Guinea, Mali, through its arbitration role during the crisis Senegal, Mauritania regarding the reflooding of the fossil valleys of the Ferlo, and it is still considered Main tributaries Kolombiné,Karakoro, a benchmark in this respect. Gorgol, Bafing, Bakoye, Falémé, Baoule Segment Type of flow Flow regime: The flow regime of the Senegal River depends mainly on precipitation in the Haut-Bassin. It is characterised by a high water season (Jul-Oct) and a regular decrease low water season (Nov-May/June). By the end of the dry season in May or June, in general there remains only a very low water flow rate in the large rivers or in the more favoured of their small tributaries. Haut-Bassin (Fouta-Djalon Wet climate, annual rainfall of between 700 and 2,000mm. April to October rains in the mountainous parts in the – Bakel) extreme south of the basin, result in the annual flooding of the river (July/October) Valley (Bakel-Dagana) Alluvial plain enclosed by semi-desert regions. Flood area whose width varies between 10 and 20 km, but can reach 25 Km. Agricultural landscape fertilized every year by the river flood. The bottoms of the main bed interspersed by rocky or sandy sills hindering navigation in shallow waters. Delta Many branches, a single river mouth. Wide flat area invaded by the salt water of the ocean during the dry season. Width of the river: 400 to 500 m, relatively deep. Strong influence of the tide. SYNOPTIC SHEETS - RIVERS OF THE WORLD Senegal Many uses Agriculture and irrigation In the Senegal River basin the populations carry out three types of agriculture: Rain-fed agriculture (in the Haut-Bassin, varieties of mainly food crops -finger millet, maize, sorghum, watermelons) Flood-recession agriculture (very important type of traditional agriculture, wide variety of cultivated species: maize, aubergines, pumpkins, tomatoes, hibiscus (bissap), sorghum, rice, watermelons and other local vegetable products. This type of agriculture is tending to become less important due to the flood control policy. Irrigated agriculture The irrigation land potential is estimated at 375,000 ha, of which 240,000 ha in Senegal, 120,000 ha in Mauritania and 9,000 ha in Mali. Of this irrigable potential, more than 137, 800 ha is managed and about 90,000 ha of it can be farmed. There are two main crop types: - grain production where rice is very widely in the majority except in Mali; maize and sorghum are increasing, in the mid-valley in particular. - horticultural production is dominated by onions, tomato, melon and okra Prospects: from 1.4 billion m3 in 2012, water needs for agricultural production are expected to reach 5.25 billion m3 by 2025. Other water supply needs Drinking water The Diama dam has secured the water supply to large cities such as Dakar, Nouakchott, Saint Louis, etc. Since the end of 2011, the town of Nouakchott, located approximately 200 km away, in a desert climate, is supplied almost entirely from the Senegal River. Prospects: Drinking water demand of 53 million m3, forecast to rise to 130 million m3 by 2025. Livestock farming Livestock farming is of essential economic and social importance in the Senegal River basin. The development of this sub-sector is included in the strategy laid down by the Member States of the OMVS, as part of the fight against poverty. Livestock farming involves on average, 60% of the rural population in each of the riparian countries; its contribution to the national GDP of the various countries ranges from 4% to 12%. Prospects: from 61million m3 in 2012, water needs for livestock farming are forecast to reach 84 million m3 by 2025. Industrial and mining activities The industrial fabric in the Senegal River basin is quite weak. The Senegal sugar company -Compagnie Sucrière Sénégalaise (CSS)) is the only large company which operates in the basin (sugar cane and some tomato processing units). Artisanal gold ore mining, although marginal economically, is an important source of pollution because of the type of products used. The easing of constraints (navigability of the river, the building of port infrastructure, etc.), will among other things, facilitate mining of the deposits in each of the three countries of the basin. Prospects: from 13 million m3 in 2012, water needs for industrial and mining activities are expected to reach 235 million m3 by 2025. SYNOPTIC SHEETS - RIVERS OF THE WORLD Senegal Many uses Hydroelectric power generation Although irrigation is the main consideration in managing the water of the river, the countries members of the OMVS are increasingly emphasising the importance of hydroelectric energy to reduce their energy deficit, diversify the sources of production, and promote their industrial development. An infrastructure programme has been decided to regulate the river flows and produce energy through the construction of hydroelectric dams, and studies have been used to identify potential sites for dams and to initiate their construction. The OMVS currently has two hydroelectric structures in operation: - The Manantali complex (the dam and its power plant, 2002) sited on the Bafing . With installed power of 200 MW, it produces on average of 800 GWh/year which are supplied to the national electricity companies of Mali (52%), Mauritania (15%) and Senegal (33%) - The Félou (2013) development, which produces an average of 60 MW injected into the Manantali grid. Energy production is carried to the States over the Manantali (RIMA) interconnected transmission grid, 1,700km long. Currently, the total installed power capacity of the RIMA is 260MW. On completion of the so-called second generation projects, the OMVS energy system should reach an installed power of approximately 2,000 MW. Moreover, 30 sites have been identified in Guinea for the construction of micro-power plants dedicated to rural electrification. Fishing and sailing Fishing is an important economic activity, undertaken both in the main river and in the tributaries and in flood-recession ponds. The production level ranges between 26,000 and 47,000 tonnes per year. The impoundment lakes of the Diama dam and especially that of Manantali (11.5 billion m3 for 500km²) open up significant prospects for the development of fish farming. The Senegal River was a flourishing transport waterway at the beginning of the 20th century, but this activity has almost stopped since the 1970s, mainly due to the total absence of investment to support competition with other modes of transport (roads, railways, etc.). The hydraulic regime of the Senegal river is characterised by some very significant variations which impact the navigability of the river. Without the proposed development work and despite the regulation of the flows by Manantali and Diama, the section of the river that historically has been navigable is broken up - into two sectors of permanent navigation (12 months/12): from the mouth at Podor for the downstream sector, with a guaranteed water draught of 2.5 m, and up to Boghé for the upstream sector which only guarantees a water draught of 1 m at most. - into several sectors of seasonal navigation beyond Boghé, characterised by times which are increasingly reduced the further they are from the mouth of the river. The Diama dam has allowed navigation on the river to be improved by regulating the water level. A navigation lock of 175m by 13 allows boats to pass. Improving navigability has been defined as one of the major challenges for the future of the river. SYNOPTIC SHEETS - RIVERS OF THE WORLD Senegal SYNOPTIC SHEETS - RIVERS OF THE WORLD Senegal Governance and international cooperation The creation of management per basin: the OMVS History 1972: Creation of the OMVS 1992: Guinea becomes an observer 2003: “Nouakchott Declaration” adopted at the 13 th Conference of Heads of State and Government: restates the missions of the organisation and sets out commitments for the High Commission 2006: Guinea becomes a member of the OMVS 2009: The OMVS creates a “Basin Committee”, opening participation in the OMVS to civil society players Original missions ° Achieve food self-sufficiency for the populations of the basin and the sub-region, ° Secure and improve the income of the populations, ° Preserve the equilibrium of the ecosystems in the basin.

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