Folks,
This is an article from Gambia Daily News.  Since I do not have access
to the quoted report I cannot but ask more questions.
 It said that

" creating a 181 km2 reservoir upstream of the River Gambia will reduce
the water level downstream, and the resulting low flows "will keep the
saline wedge of the Gambian estuary some 100 km downstream of its usual
mean location. It will thus make more than 7,000 ha of arable land (in
The Gambia) free from salty water.""

What proportion of total flow that enters the Gambia through Koina would
remain in the 181km2 reservoir?

How much will water levels drop?

What does lowering of water level mean for the salt concentration levels
in those areas that will remain salty (mangroves)?

<>Given that mangroves and other wetlands are the spawning and nursery
grounds for many of our deep sea fish, shellfish, bird species how would
lowering the water level affect their ability to support those functions?

Would freeing from salty water mean effectively becoming drylands? If so
how arable will the salt free areas become?

I am sure few would doubt some of the benefits of hydropower but we who
live downstream must not be lose sight of some of the negative and often
irreversible effects. What is frightening is that onces the dams are
built we would have no choice to but to live the consequences even if
that means, no fish or no drinking water for western Gambia! Perhaps
then, and only then will we go for another loan to bring down the dams!
Some wise guy once said: "the road to hell is paved with good
intentions". I just hope and pray that this is not one of those.

Malanding Jaiteh


OMVG Hydropower Project Could Be Commissioned By 2010



Gambia Daily News
<http://allafrica.com/publishers.html?passed_name=Gambia%20Daily%20News&passed_location=Banjul>
(Banjul)

May 16, 2005
Posted to the web May 17, 2005

THE 10th ordinary session of the OMVG conference of heads of state and
government, meeting in Guinea Bissau on May 9, in their final
communique, noted results obtained in the implementation of the
organisation's development programme, such as "the effective start up of
the natural resources development and management project".

Also "the completion of the detailed design studies and the tenders for
the hydro-electric development of Sambangalou and the interconnection of
the electrical networks of member countries".


Groupement Coyne et Bellier - Tecsult - Coba (COTECO) a consortium of
consulting engineers contracted by OMVG the Gambia river basin
development organisation had in 2003 confirmed the technical, economic
and environmental feasibility of its projects.

The consortium was contracted, in the context of the implementation of
its electric power development programme, to perform the feasibility
studies of the Sambagalou hydropower project on the River Gambia, and of
the interconnection line between the power grids of the four OMVG member
states.

"The results of the studies are quite positive", the consultants
announced in 2003, on the studies carried out from February 2002 to July
2003, with funding from the African Development Bank.

"The objective of the study of these projects is to provide OMVG member
states with a programme of development of power production and transport
(transmission?) means, based on the principle of an increased regional
integration of investments in hydropower, to reach the least cost means
of meeting the power and energy demand".

The feasibility study report mentioned "the environmental and
socio-economic impacts of the Sambangalou hydropower project and
possible mitigation measures", and revealed that creating a 181 km2
reservoir upstream of the River Gambia will reduce the water level
downstream, and the resulting low flows "will keep the saline wedge of
the Gambian estuary some 100 km downstream of its usual mean location.
It will thus make more than 7,000 ha of arable land (in The Gambia) free
from salty water."

"Among the benefits of the project, the average yearly production of 400
GWh is the first one. The long life duration of the dam, and the
renewable aspect of the hydroelectric energy, can be considered as a
long-term development factor of the beneficiary countries.

"Choosing this kind of energy, rather than the thermal one, will enable
them to avoid emission of about 250,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent each yearî, according to the consultants.

As regards the economic and financial evaluation, the Sambangalou
hydropower project will cost a total of 228 million euros, and the OMVG
interconnection 229 million euros.

The implementation programme proposes that the Sambangalou hydropower
project could be implemented from 2006 to 2009, and commissioned at the
beginning of 2010, "assuming no delay in the launching of the detail
design study, of the regulatory environmental impact assessment and of
the preparatory works (access roads and Kedogou bridge)."

"The economic analysis has shown that the earlier the projects will be
commissioned, the larger the economic benefits will be for the OMVG
member states", they further reported.

At the end of the OMVG leaders' meeting in Bissau this week, President
Henrique Pereira Rosa of Guinea Bissau was appointed chairperson of the
organisation for the two-year period 2005-2007, Bissau's minister of
energy and natural resources was appointed chairperson of the council of
ministers for the same period.

The meeting also appointed Justino Vieira former director of studies,
planning and infrastructure of the OMVG to the post of executive
director of the organisation.

President Yahya Jammeh in remarks delivered at the one-day meeting
pointed out that, at inception, the principal objective of the OMVG was
to promote economic integration with a view to improve the standard of
living of our people.

Such a vision was commendable, and pertinent at a time when the all
regions in the world are forming economic blocs to face the challenges
of globalisation. "It is my strong belief that full socio-economic
integration cannot be achieved if we remain far apart in terms of our
policy objectives," he declared.

The Gambia government, he said, has not lost sight of the significance
of regional and sub regional cooperation in the energy sector as a means
of bringing energy self-sufficiency close to its people. "The Gambia,
therefore, remains committed to the development of the hydropower
potentials of the river Gambia and the inter-connection of the electric
transmission systems in the four member countries, under the aegis of
the OMVG".

President Jammeh noted that, compared to similar organisations, the
physical achievements of the OMVG since its creations in 1978 has been
"quite modest."

The development scenario anticipated then included hydroelectric power
generation, increased agricultural production and other natural
resources management programmes. However, until recently, most of the
activities of the organisation were basically concentrated on the
conduct of studies and investigations in order to batter plan the
utilisation of the resources of the Gambia River basin.

Such work is commendable, but time has come to translate such effort
into concrete and more tangible benefits for our people, to reward them
for the many years of waiting, he added.

The president spoke of the millions of people who derive their
sustenance and livelihood from the resources of the Gambia, the
Kayanga/Geba and Koliba/Corubal river basins.

He noted that the summit meeting was preceded by a meeting of the
council of ministers, which reviewed the work of the secretariat during
the past years. The summit received the report of the council.

"From this report, and with the inception of the energy and the natural
resources development and management projects, we may perhaps be finally
seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. These projects have
invigorated the hopes of our peoples as they attempt to address their
basic needs."

The Gambian leader reminded the summit that the Gambia River like many
other shared basins serves as a vital link between our nations.

Integrated development of this basin, especially its energy potentials
and natural resources, is crucial to the socio-economic development of
our respective countries.

"For our four countries, the Gambia River could be a source of our
development. Let us use it as a source and tool for sustainable
development of the sub region. Let us employ it as a vehicle that will
deliver us into a peaceful and stable sub region. "Collaboration and
cooperation between our countries in the development of the basin has
been and should continue to be high in our national development plans
and programmes".

In his speech, President Jammeh noted that basic outstanding issues
before the organisation include regularising the integration of the
Kaleta into the OMVG framework, which should "be quickly settled." Also
the long delay in finalising the draft convention on the legal status of
the Kayanga/Geba and Koliba/Corubal river basins.At the conclusion of
their summit conference held in Bissau on Monday, OMVG leaders decided
to hold their 11th ordinary session in Banjul in 2007

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