
The Water Resources Commission (WRS) has advised residents along the banks of the White Volta River to take precautionary measures as spillage of the Bagre Dam commences.
The advice comes on the back of information from SONABEL Company Limited, Operators of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina-Faso that its water level had risen to 234.88m, hence the need for the spillage.
The Commission in a statement signed by its acting Executive Secretary, Adwoa Paintsil, indicated that “the spillage of water may cause the White Volta river to overflow its banks and likely occupy its normal flood plains.”
“The Water Resources Commission has been advised by SONABEL, the Power Utility of Burkina Faso on Wednesday that the level of water in the Bagre Dam has been rising since Sunday, August 28, 2022,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Directorate of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has also advised all residents and farmers along the White Volta in six districts to move to higher grounds.
The spillage of the Bagre dam is done in either August or September every year to prevent destruction to the dam.
This exercise results in flooding in low-lying communities in Burkina Faso and Ghana.
Thirty-five communities along the White Volta in the Bawku Municipality, Bawku West, Garu, Binduri, Nabdam, and Talensi districts are the hard-hit areas.
SONABEL in a statement on Thursday morning disclosed that the spillage, which started at 9 am, was to prevent any breakage of the dam’s banks after the water level rose to 235.06m.
It will, however, take about 72 hours for the spilled water to enter the Ghanaian waters through the White Volta.
SONABEL Company Limited said “the upstream level on Thursday, September 1, 2022, was 235.06m. The filling rate was 100.98% compared to 93.5% on the same date in 2021. The opening of the valves took place this morning, September 1, 2022, at 9 am with a flow of 355m3/s.”