Bagre Dam: Over 200 acres of farms submerged in Afram Plains

A total of about 200 acres of farms have been submerged by flood waters in Kwahu Afram Plains North District of the Eastern Region as a result of the spillage of the Bagre dam in neighboring West African country – Burkina Faso.

The Afram River is swelling causing serious flood in ten (10) Communities such as Dwarf and Digya Islands, Battor kope, Liva Kope, Baabu,Kedekope,Adantatia,Srafo-Avutor,Yarokope and Doxekope.

The farms destroyed are rice, maize and cassava belonging to about 141 farmers.

At Dwarf island a 168 acre rice farm has also been flooded.

Afram Plains area had not recorded rainfall for a month now a situation reducing the intensity of the flooding that would have been caused by the spillage .

Nonetheless,Officials of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the district have visited the affected Communities for assessment.The Organization is still monitoring the situation.

So far, no casualty has been recorded.

Meanwhile, the neighboring Kwahu Afram Plains South District Director of NADMO, Stephen Afram on Wednesday August 19,2020 directed staff of the Organization to issue early warning signals to flood prone Communities along the Afram River.

The annual spillage of Bagre Dam causes destructive and some fatal flooding incidents in Communities from the northern part of Ghana to Southern sectors .

Sonabel, the agency responsible for the management of the Bagre and Kompienga dams,had indicated that the volumes of spilled water could be heavier this year.

The upstream level of the Bagre Dam as of Tuesday, August 11, 2020 was 234.97 metres. The rate of filling is 99.60 per cent compared to 62.44 per cent on the same date in 2019.

The spill gates have been opened, with an average discharge/flow of 76.50 cubic metres per second as of August 10, this year.

For the Kompienga Dam, the upstream level as of Monday, August 10, 2020 was 172.54 metres. The rate of filling is 39.26 per cent compared to 28.76 per cent on the same date in 2019

Some Communities in Bawku West District have also started experiencing flooding incidents which have submerged many farms.

Flood prone Districts

Eleven districts that are constantly affected in the Northern region includes Karaga, East Gonja, Nanumba South, Tolon Kumbungu, Bole, West Gonja, Savelugu, Nanton, East Manprusi, Yendi, and West Mamprusi.

In the Upper East region, Bawku West, Binduri and Talensi districts will be affected, while in Upper West Region, Nandom, Lawra, Nadowli and Wa West districts will be affected.

Nkwanta North, Krachi East, Krachi West and Krachi Nchumuru districts in the Northern Volta are also affected .In the Eastern Region Afram Plains North and Afram Plains South districts and parts of Upper Manya Krobo are also affected.

In February 2019, during the delivery of the State of the Nation Address to Parliament President Akufo Addo disclosed that plans were underway to end the perennial flooding caused by the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso.

“In the short-term, desilting of the White Volta will be undertaken this year, in conjunction with discussions with the Burkinabes to regulate the flow of the spillage, and mitigate its impact,” he announced.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh