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This study investigates the opportunities to improve livelihoods of affected downstream communities by revising the operating regime of
two dams on the Lower Volta river in Ghana. Opportunities to improve downstream ecosystem services and livelihoods and their impacts
on hydropower production are investigated based on a water allocation model. Options to flood specific areas and manage saltwater
intrusion are reported, and alternative livelihood solutions for the downstream communities are recommended.
1. Study area
A study to explore the consequences of modifying operation at the Akosombo and Kpong dams, to introduce a
more naturalized flow regime, was undertaken. The
improvement to ecosystem services and impact on hydro
production and other economic activities were explored.
Naturalized flow regimes were determined using statistical analyses. Impacts on hydro and current and future
irrigation developments in the Lower Volta were identified using a water allocation model [WEAP, SEI, 20126].
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This scenario, calculated by the GEFC, mimics the natural flow regime with seasonal flooding during
September and October. It is therefore, similar to the
values for the EM class A: natural river with minor
modifications. The wet season flow exceeds 3000 m3/s,
which is sufficient to flood some of the creeks for two
months of the year. The dry season flows are reduced
such that the total annual flows are similar to the current
annual flow. Hydro production is expected to be affected as fewer turbines will be able to run.
2.2 EMC A
2.3 EMC B
Fig. 3. Monthly
flow hydrographs
for the three
scenarios.
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Fig. 4. Schematic of
the Reoperation
WEAP Model for
the Volta basin.
(1)
(2)
The storage volumes were computed from the volume-elevation curve using the observed water levels
recorded. The focus of the model was on the Lower
Volta inflows and downstream uses including
hydropower production, domestic use (Kpong treatment plant), agriculture and environmental flows (with
the various EMCs). The schematic of the model is
shown in Fig. 4. EMC A and EMC B are referred to as
EMC Class A and EMC Class B in the figures respectively.
Figs. 5 and 6 present the results from the WEAP
model for three scenarios, which show that the different environmental flows (EMCs) will result in a
reduction of hydro generation on an annual basis of
Fig. 5. Hydropower
production
(Akosombo and
Kpong combined)
for the two EMCs.
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Fig. 6. Hydropower production for the year 2013 at Akosombo and Kpong for the
various EMCs.
Hydropower capacity (MW) for daily time step in 2013
The 148 MW Kpong hydro plant, commissioned on the Volta
river in the 1980s.
Management
class
EMC A
EMC B
Hydropower
optimization
Akosombo
plant
Kpong
plant
Total
416
92
508
205
585
49
254
123
708
Kpong
41
62
20
57
33
83
Acknowledgement
References
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Bibliography
M. Mul
Y. Sidib
F. Annor
E. Ofosu
M. Boateng-Gyimah
B. Ampomah
Marloes Mul has an MSc and PhD from the faculty of Civil
Engineering at Delft University of Technology, in The
Netherlands. She has worked for the UNESCO-IHE Institute
for Water Education, where she was involved in various
educational, capacity building and research projects in Africa
and South-East Asia focusing on issues such as water
allocation, addressing and resolving transboundary water
issues, small and large dams, integrated natural resource
management and integrated water resources management.
Currently, she works for the International Water Management
Institute in Accra, Ghana, she is involved in several research
projects dealing with dam operations, and natural and built
infrastructure in the West Africa region.
C. Addo
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