Taking advantage of floodwaters to end Nigeria's drought
Floods frequently occur in Nigeria. It has been observed that while some areas endure disastrous floods, another area is experiencing drought at the same time due to varied climate and rainfall patterns in different places. Over time, the tendency to occupy floodplains has increased along with population growth and development activities, which has led to more severe harm. The uneven distribution of rainfall frequently causes locations that are not typically prone to flooding to also experience significant inundation. Therefore, the most frequent calamity the nation experiences is flooding.
Flooding results from rivers' banks' inability to adequately hold the huge flows that heavy rainfall causes in the upper catchments to release. Flooding is made worse by the following factors: synchronization of floods in the main and tributary rivers; delay due to tidal effects; encroachment of floodplains; and haphazard and unplanned growth of urban areas. Erosion and silting of river beds reduce the carrying capacity of river channels, changing river courses and obstructing flow.
Annual flooding occurs throughout Nigeria, especially in the coastal regions, but this year's floods are the worst in more than ten years. Authorities attribute the accident to exceptional rainfall and the release of extra water from the nearby Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
After a drought, most people on the continent are affected by flooding incidents, however they are concentrated in a few countries. Mozambique, South Africa, and Kenya collectively saw 75% of the region's storms and floods, while Kenya and South Africa were hardest hit by the drought.
Tragically, a survey found that due to the 2010 drought, Somalia had the highest death toll from natural disasters. The second-highest death toll was recorded in Mozambique, primarily as a result of the 2019 cyclone Idai. African populations, businesses, and ecosystems are suffering greatly as a result of water stress and dangers such as severe droughts and destructive floods.
Significant lakes are diminishing, glaciers are melting, and rainfall patterns are being disturbed. Recent research from the World Meteorological Organization warns that increasing water demand, coupled with scarce and unreliable supply, poses a threat to further exacerbate conflict and migration.
Records show that initially, Nigeria and Cameroon were intended to construct two dams, so that if water was released from the Lagdo Dam, it would be contained by the Nigerian dam, known as the Dasin Hausa Dam, which was slated to be built in Adamawa State.
The Lagdo Dam was to be twice as large as the Dasin Hausa Dam, which was similarly planned to provide irrigation and electricity to Cameroon's northern region.
Unfortunately, frontline states and communities along watercourses have continued to suffer major consequences as a result of the lack of dams to contain the excesses from the Cameroon project. In Burkina Faso, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Northern Nigeria, where drought, conflict, and insecurity are causing water insecurity, floodwater from the nation is required. A survey claims that nearly 40 million youngsters are highly vulnerable to water shortages.
Today, both droughts and floods are frequent occurrences, posing a serious threat that cannot be eliminated but must be controlled. It may be possible to address both the flooding and drought issues in Nigeria by transferring excess floodwater to places that are water-scarce. Additionally, this would increase the potential for irrigation, facilitate the production of hydropower, and address regional imbalances. In order to defend against crop failure and lower the cost of famine on a broad scale, irrigation had to be developed throughout the second half of the 19th century due to the recurrence of drought and famines.
Therefore, the African Union, Economic Community of West African States, and World Bank should make use of the Lagdo Dam's construction, which began in 1977 and was finished in 1982, to address the issue of sub-Saharan Africa's higher than average levels of water stress.
References
Punchng, 'Using floodwaters to solve drought in Nigeria' (Online, 2022) <https://punchng.com/using-floodwaters-to-solve-drought-in-nigeria/>
