Diama Dam Management Company - Water at the service of a sustainable and solidary development

MISSIONS AND OBJECTIVES SOGED's missions are: • Management, maintenance and renewal of existing structures: the Diama dam, the containment facilities of the Senegal River and the structures as well as side or secondary equipment, • The design, financing, construction and management of new structures, except those devoted to hydroelectric production. The Diama dam has the following objectives: • preventing salty water from coming upstream into the delta and lower Senegal River valley during low water periods; • allowing intensive irrigation of 120,000 ha of land in its influence area; • improving supply conditions of drinkable water to large urban centres; • improving the navigability of the Senegal River in its influence zone. A STRATEGIC ORIENTATION FRAMEWORK ORGANIZED AROUND A TRIAD: ECONOMIC GROWTH - SOCIAL PROGRES$ - PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT Prior to the construction of the dam, situated in the estuary of the Senegal River, the hydrologie regime of the River in the delta was notably characterized by strong interseasonal fluctuations of the stretch of water and by sait intrusion coming upstream (up to120 miles from the mouth) in the dry season. This hydrologie regime was neither favourable to the development of economic activities nor to the supply of drinkable water to urban centres nor to the environment. The dam was designed and built to solve these difficulties. Development of irrigated agriculture By favouring freshwater availability, the dam plays a fundamental role in the development of agricultural activities. Today, farmers are allowed three production periods versus only one before the dam was established. Revitalisation of the environment Thanks to water intake infrastructures incorporated in left and right bank dikes, the Diama reservoir feeds a thick network of floodways, basins and ponds of the delta of the Senegal River with fresh water. Two national parks of worldwide level are to be found in the dam's influence area: • Djoudj Park in Senegal (Unesco World Heritage); • Diawling Park in Mauritania (RAMSAR Convention). Securitization of supply of drinkable water The Diama dam permitted the securitization of water supply to big cities like Dakar, Nouakchott, Saint Louis... Since theend of 2011, thecity of Nouakchott, situated some 200 km away, in a desert climate, has been fed almost exclusively by the Senegal River. Aftout Es Saheli pumping station on the Senegal River