Lake Chad Basin Commission

<p>The Lake Chad basin has many flood-prone areas that are affected year after year. These areas are concentrated along the Chari and its tributaries, near Guelendeng, Bousso and the Am Timan area, east of Sarh. The loss of water in these sections promotes the drying up of Lake Chad. The<span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit; font-size: 28px;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lake Chad basin has</span></span><span class="Y2IQFc" lang="en" style="font-size: 12pt;">many areas prone to floods that are affected year after year. These areas are concentrated along the Chari and its tributaries, near Guelendeng, Bousso and the Am Timan region, east of Sarh. The loss of water in these sections promote drying of Lake Chad.A preliminary analysis showed that if part of the water of the plains flood was diverted towards the Lake Chad, this could improve drying up of the lake and allowing average increase in levels between 0.4 and 1 m. In addition, the river Chari is facing a serious problem of silting throughout its length and contributes to transport sediments and silting of the Lake Chad. A study of feasibility of water transfer interbasins of the Oubangui River in Lake Chad has been identified as a priority project of the Scheme Director of the LCBC developed in 1994. This was completed in 2011 and was approved by the 14th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission held in N'Djamena in April 2012. She demonstrated the technical feasibility of a transfer of water by gravity from the Bria / Kotto dam through </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit;">of transport infrastructure </span></span><span class="Y2IQFc" lang="en" style="font-size: 12pt;">of water to Lake Chad via the river Chari.The 14th Summit Heads of State and Government of the LCBC, which was held N'Djamena in April 2012, approved the following measures as a means improve water availability in the Chari river and the lake Chad.</span></p>
<p><span class="Y2IQFc" lang="en" style="font-size: 12pt;"> i. Improve the hydraulicity of the Chari in order to reduce losses in the plains floodable; </span></p>
<p><span class="Y2IQFc" lang="en" style="font-size: 12pt;">ii. Arrange the Lake Chad and its main tributaries by dredging and sand removal in order to to obtain a better distribution water in the different basins of Lake Chad; Furthermore, in the same document, it was demonstrated that the inter-basin transfer of the Kotto requires an increase in water levels in the Boungou and the Kotto at the confluence of the two courses of water. This increase must be done by setting up a dam capable of producing hydroelectric power for region. The proposed dam and the water transfer corridor through the Boungou river (reservoir of the dam), the Ipendo river, the Ouaka river, two trenches for cross the interbasin ridge and a canal along the Koukourou rivers and Bamingui before continuing towards Chari will develop a region of approximately 100,000 km&sup2; which is today devoid of any type of road and electricity connections. Other benefits demonstrated in this study shows the possibility intensive integrated development areas with high agricultural potential and breeding and the creation of a important industrial area specialized.Thus, the proposed water transfer corridor starts at the Boungou river (dam reservoir), to the river Ipendo, at the Ouaka river, for two trenches to cross the ridge </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit;">between the basins and to a canal the </span><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit;">along the Koukourou and</span></span><span class="Y2IQFc" lang="en" style="font-size: 12pt;">Bamingui before continuing towards the Chari.

At this point he is important to identify the possible solutions to improve the hydraulic capacity of Chari and carry out in-depth studies on their impacts and to proceed also to the realization of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: inherit;">several infrastructures.</span> </span></p>

<p>The drastic decline in freshwater availability in the Lake Chad Basin has resulted in a 95% decrease in the volume of the lake from 1963 to date. At the same time, the degradation of the Lake Chad ecosystem following the droughts of 1973-74 and 1985-86 leads to increased erosion of the watershed and silting of Lake Chad and its main tributaries, the Chari and Logone rivers. The actual rate of siltation and sedimentation of Lake Chad is unknown. However, it has been estimated that the lake could receive around 2.8 million tonnes of sediment by rivers each year, and approximately 150 tonnes of wind-generatedper km&sup2; of lake per year.Due to silting and sedimentation in the lake sedimentation in the lake, it has become difficult to navigate,especially during low-water periods.Other obstacles to navigation in Lake Chad include invasive plants. The 14th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the LCBC,held in N'Djamena in April 2012, approved the following measures the following measures as a means of improving availability of water in the Chari River and Lake Chad:</p>
<p>i. Improve the hydraulic capacity of the Chari in order to limit losses in flood plains; </p>
<p>ii. Develop Lake Chad and its main tributaries through dredging and desilting to ensure a better distribution of water in the</p>
<p>the various basins of the lake.There is therefore a need for the intervention strategy should begin by acquiring knowledge,as well as the need for</p>
<p>observation and short-term measurements.</p>
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