Name and Location
Interbasin water transfer (IBWT) project, Central Africa.

Project Description
The project proposes to transfer about 900 m³/s of water over 1 370 km, from the Oubangui river, a former tributary of the Congo river, to Lake Chad, through the Chari river system.
Lake Chad is located on the eastern part of the Sahel region of Africa, at the southern edge of the Sahara desert. The hydrographic catchment basin of the lake extends over an area of about 2 397 423 km², spreading over five countries, which form part of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

The LCBC includes Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Nigeria and the Central African Republic, which joined the commission later on in light of the fact that two of its major rivers - the Chari and the Logone also flow into Lake Chad. The actual water surface area of Lake Chad varies with the annual variations in rainfall and it is known to have shrunk in the past century from over 25 000 km² to its present 2 500 km². The lake is also shallow, with an average depth of about 1,5 m, thus holding relatively small amounts of water. It is hoped that the water transfer from the Congo river to Lake Chad will refill the lake, as well as other wetlands in the basin for the development of navigation, agriculture, forestry and tourism industries, as well as the generation and distribution of hydroelectric power.

The main water contributors to the lake are the Chari/Logone rivers, which supply about 95% of the lake's water inflow. The other rivers contributing water to the lake are the Komodougou/Yobe river, which filters through Nigeria and Niger, the El Béïd river on the northern border between Cameroon and Nigeria, and the Yedseram river from Nigeria.

Lake Chad has no apparent outlet, but its waters percolate into the Soro and Bodélé depressions. The active hydrographic basin, known as the conventional basin of the lake, is estimated at 967 000 km², and it is home to over 20-million people in the five countries sharing the basin.

The project is also expected to generate 700 MW of hydropower for the participating countries.

Value
Some $6-million was pledged by the member countries to carry out the feasibility study.

Duration
Not confirmed.

Client
LCBC.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

Latest Developments
Rwanda's Ministry of Infrastructure hydropower consultant, Leonard Kassana, has reported that, while the proposed IBWT project would benefit the riparian countries in the Congo river basin, the possible exploitation of its 40-GW hydropower potential could be detrimental to the entire river system. Kassana explains that the project could also reduce the hydropower potential of parts of the larger Congo river system by 5%. He argues that the LBC countries should explore other options before embarking on the project, which could create similar problems faced in the Congo basin.

On Budget and on Time?
The project is still in the design stage.

Contact Details for Project Information
LCBC, tel +235 52 6925 or email MohammedB@unops.org.