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The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has alerted Nigerians on the impending release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
The agency’s Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Umar Muhammed, made this known in a statement on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Muhammed said Cameroon will initiate controlled water discharge releases starting 17 September 2023, adding that the water is expected to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days.
The statement reads in part, “The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency wishes to notify the general public that the authorities of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon have communicated to the agency that they will initiate controlled water releases at a rate of 100m³/s (8,640,000m³/day) starting today, 17 September 2023.
“The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River.
“Nonetheless, the dam operators have indicated that the planned water discharges will be gradual to avoid surpassing the conveyance capacity of the Benue River system and triggering substantial flooding downstream in Nigeria. The overflow from the Lagdo Dam is projected to cease once there is a noticeable reduction in the flow into the Lagdo reservoir.”
Why is this important?
The release of water from the dam has caused devastating floods in Nigeria in the past, but the agency assured Nigerians that there is no cause for alarm.
“The agency unequivocally states that there is no need for alarm as major flooding downstream in Nigeria is not anticipated since the flow levels along the Benue River are still within cautionary limits,” the agency said.
To prevent flood disasters, the agency promised to diligently monitor the flow conditions of the transboundary Benue River and the national inland rivers, and consistently provide regular updates on water levels across major rivers.