1

Dams, reservoir and other water users

The Upper Niger has six dams (Selingué, kourouba weir, Sotuba weir, Markala, Talo and
Djenné) and three dams under-construction or in project (Fomi in Republic of guinée, Kandadji
in Republic of Niger, and Taoussa in Mali).

The Sélingué dam on the Sankarani River is used for hydro-power since 1982 with a total
volume of 2.17 km3, an effective volume of 1.9287 km3 and a design flood discharge of 3,600
m3/s. The Sotuba weir, which is in operation since 1929, is another very small hydropower plant,
located directly downstream from Bamako. Because of the limited storage volume of the Sotuba
weir, this reservoir does not have a significant hydrological impact on the Niger River flow. The
Markala dam, which opened in 1947, is a diversion dam just downstream of Ségou with a storage
volume of 0.17 km3. This dam is use to irrigate the area of the Office du Niger. There are two
diversion dams on the Bani (tributary of Niger River), Talo and Djenné .

Water shortage on the Niger Inner Delta’s Ecosystems

The vast majority of the Niger Inner Delta ecosystems are in a state of continuous degradation
due to the climate change and the anthropogenic actions; forest resources are highly dependent
on rains and river floods. According to NGO SED report the Niger Inner Delta forest superficies
passed from 1,715,500 ha in 1988 to 754,800 ha in 2007 (56% of regression). Some plant species
have become very rare as Acacia albida, Adansonia digitata, Boscia senegalensis, Balanites
aegyptiaca (Fig. 6).

Echinochloa stagnina (locally called bourgou), are present in areas of long flooding having a
depth of 2-5 m. According to Jerome Mari, 2002, the bourgou superficies represent 10% (1,613
km²) of the flooding delta. Since the great droughts of the 70s and 80s to the present day, 85% of
the land of bourgou has disappeared.

The bourgou plays multiple roles for the populations of the Delta. It is food source for humans
through its seeds, medicines through its stems. Its grass production of 15 to 30 tons/ha, feeds 2
million cattle and 3 million small ruminants for 5 to 7 months during the year. The vast pastures
of bourgou are favorable zones of reproduction and growth for the numerous species of fish of
the Delta, and the numerous species of Herons which owe their survival to the presence of
juvenile fish.
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Status of some important animal species in the Niger

Inner Delta (Source: Skinner et al.)
The wildlife capital, favored by the presence of water and rich flora, was formerly represented by
large herbivores such as gazelles, Hippopotamus amphibius and the manatee (Trichechus
senegalensis), and by large reptiles such as the Crocodile of Nil (Crocodylus niloticus), Python
(Python sebae) and Nile Varan (Varanus niloticus) [5]. Now these areas of flooding are poor, as
a result of strong human pressure and environmental degradation: large herbivores and large
reptiles have almost disappeared. According to Skinner & al (1987) cited by Leo Zwart [5], the
status of some big mammals in the Niger River Inner Delta is as follow:

The number of fishermen in the Niger River Inner Delta is estimated at 65,000, which
corresponds approximately to a population of 240,000 including children, women and elders,
who find in the fishery an important part of their livelihood. The large fraction of these
fishermen moves from their villages to the lakes areas between December and March each year
when the bands of fish migrate. Due to lack of data we have not been able to estimate the
evolution over a long period, but according to the Malian National Statistic Institute report on
fishery and aquaculture 2010-2015 [7], the quantity of fish caught in the Inner Delta decreased
by 100,000 T during this period (fig. 8).