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Increasing concern as to how human activities impact Africa's lakes has led to
documentation and quantification of the lakes and the environmental changes taking place.
Through a combination of ground photographs, current and historical satellite images, and
narrative based on extensive scientific evidence, this publication illustrates how humans
have altered their surroundings and continue to make observable and measurable changes to
Africa's lakes and their environment.
Go to: Chapters
— Site Images — Powerpoints
— Posters
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AFRICA'S LAKES
Chapter 3 - Lake Manantali |
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Lake Manantali, Mali
Lake Manantali on the Bafing River contributes to power
generation and irrigation in the surrounding areas. These two images illustrate some of the physical changes
that have occurred in the Bafing riverine system since the construction of the Manantali Dam, which began in 1981.
The 1977 image shows the original meandering nature of the Bafing River, which annually deposited rich fluvial
soils used by local people for growing sorghum and other crops on its floodplains. The 1999 image shows the
extent of irrigated agriculture in the surrounding area, which rapidly expanded after the dam was filled
between 1986 and 1988. The increase in water quantity is also clearly visible in 1999 image.
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