NIGER BASIN’S 2017/2018 HYDROLOGICAL TRENDS

1. INTRODUCTION

The 2017-2018 hydrological year, which started in June 2017, was marked by exceptional events in certain parts of the basin, notably on the main course and the Bénoué tributary. Indeed, local floods in September 2017 were, sometimes, marked, by rapid increase in the water level. It is the case of the Niamey station which, over the period, was heavily influenced by tributaries of the right bank from Burkina Faso and which reached the yellow and orange alert levels. On the Bénoué course, water levels increased enough over the period and even caused flooding.

The analysis below essentially focuses on the evolution of the Guinean floods in 2017. The analysis of that event is based on raw hydro-meteorological data derived from both field observations to the end of October 2017 and flow trend forecasts from the period running from October 2017 to end of March 2018.