Evolution of the Physico-Chemical Quality of the Water in the Manantali Dam Reservoir from 1989 (One Year after Impoundment) to 2022

Abstract

The Manantali dam is located on the Bafing River in the Kayes region of Mali. It is the main tributary of the Senegal River. The water released from the dam provides year-round access to water for drinking, irrigation and livestock watering. The Manantali dam regulates the river’s flow, generates energy and supports agricultural development in all three countries (Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal). The aim of this article is to monitor changes in the physico-chemical quality of the water in the dam’s reservoir from 1989 (one year after the dam was impounded) to 2022. In order to carry out this work, we analysed the evolution of physico-chemical parameters in Stations 1 and 3 of the dam, on the basis of fluctuating water levels in the reservoir. The results obtained show a similarity in the parameters measured at the two stations, except for iron content, which is higher at Station 3. The average pH is weakly basic (7.44 at Station 1 and 7.29 at Station 3) and the average water temperature is between 26.5°C at Station 1 and 26.2°C at Station 3. The average conductivity of the water at Station 1 is 38.8 μS/cm and 39.8 μS/cm at Station 3, attesting to low mineralization of the water. The oxygen content of 5.75 mg/L at Station 1 and 5.00 mg/L at Station 3 shows good oxygenation of the water, which is favorable for the development of most fish and aquatic plant species. Ammonium levels of 0.02 mg/L at Station 1 and 0.06 mg/L at Station 3 show that the water is not contaminated. In addition, the Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated, showing excellent water quality at Station 1 and good quality at Station 3. Overall, the results obtained show that the water is of good quality, enabling the authorities of the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS) to achieve their development objectives.