Monthly Hydrological Bulletin: January 2020

The hydrological flow situation of the Niger basin during the month of January 2020 was characterized by a low flow situation at the Upper Niger and the Lower Niger. While at the Inner Delta and the Middle Niger, the basin witnessed a mid-level flow situation due to the arrival of the Guinean flood or Black Flood, which started on these parts of the basin since November 2019.

Reservoir water releases from Selingué Dam in Mali as well as Kainji and Jebba Dams in Nigeria is on process to support the low flow situation at the Upper Niger and Low Niger.

The flow analysis situation was carried out by dividing the basin into four sub-catchments also represented with reference gauging stations as follows: Upper Niger at Koulikoro (Mali), Inland Delta at Dire (Mali), Middle Niger in Niamey (Niger) and Lower Niger at Lokoja (Nigeria) as shown in figure 1.