Marco De Cave. Dam controversies: contested governance and developmental discourse on the Ethiopian Omo River dam Article / Letter to editor State mega-infrastructure projects in developing countries evoke challenges to citizenship and reconstruct the imagery of statecraft. survival of forest dependent upon seasonal flooding of omo river, cease construction of dam. The Lower Omo Valley is culturally and biologically diverse and home to thousands of indigenous people. The giant Gibe III dam, now being built on the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia is a boon for some, a problem for others. The reason for this is the lack of grids in the country. Their territory intermixes with the Mursi and Bodi. It holds the potential to fundamentally alter flow patterns in the Omo River … Download with Google Download with Facebook. In the lower Omo River Valley of southern Ethiopia, a spreading humanitarian emergency that threatens to spawn conflicts in the region is largely being met with silence from both the Ethiopian government and the international community. The discovery of human remains dating back nearly 2.5 million years prompted Unesco to dub the Lower Valley a World Heritage site in 1980. Download Free PDF. There is a financial benefit from the dam as well, with opportunities to export power to Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan and other country's. It rises in the Ethiopian Plateau and flows southward for about 400 miles (644 km) into the northern end of Lake Rudolf; it is the lake’s only perennial affluent. she says. In 2000, the commission issued a report saying decisions to build large hydro-electric dams must be guided by indigenous people?s free, prior and informed consent to the project. The tribes of the Lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia live in close contact with nature and the river they depend on. ItFarmer Plowing fields in Omo Valley where the River is a vital resource will block the natural flow of the River, causing a reduction of water flow to the southern part of Ethiopia, also known as Omo Valley. The Gibe III Dam is under construction in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley, in the southern part of the country. The completion of Gibe III, Africa's tallest dam to date, has eliminated the annual flood and radically reduced the Omo's flow, which produces 90% of Lake Turkana's freshwater input. Giant dam and irrigated sugar plantations mean people in lower Omo valley face starvation and conflict, says US thinktank Residents of the … Gibe 2 is under construction and may be completed after a year. Dam Design Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam 240 meters (787 ft) tall – the tallest dam … Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has repeatedly stressed that no outside pressure would stop the Ethiopian government from completing the construction of the dam. Plans for the Gibe III Dam date back to the 1996 African Development Bank-commissioned Omo-Gibe Masterplan. Salini Costruttori, an Italian company, started construction work on the project in 2006. According to the information received, Ethiopia is constructing the Gilgel Gibe III hydroelectric dam, which, once completed, will block the southwestern part of the Omo River on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya, creating a 150-km long reservoir. Gibe III is due to be completed in 2012. The National Security Advisor to the Ethiopian prime minister, Abay Tsehaye, is quoted as saying the ongoing campaign against the Gibe III dam is an ?empty attempt of some interest groups who do not want to see Ethiopia march towards development.? ItFarmer Plowing fields in Omo Valley where the River is a vital resource will block the natural flow of the River, causing a reduction of water flow to the southern part of Ethiopia, also known as Omo Valley. In this exclusive reportage we explore how their ancestral ways of life are being threatened by the impacts of a mega-dam, climate change and a booming tourism industry. Gibe III was a true game changer for the lower Omo. The dam is owned by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation and is projected to be complete by the year 2012 or 2013. Many of the tribes depend on the annual flood cycle of the Omo River to sustain their crops. “The Omo River is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of indigenous people in southwest Ethiopia and northern Kenya. The Omo River has a unique geo-political dynamic. The dam blocks the south western part of the Omo River which runs for 760 kms from the highlands of Ethiopia to Lake Turkana in Kenya. The Gibe III Dam has greatly reduced the Omo floods the local people rely on for agriculture. Dam controversies: contested governance and developmental discourse on the Ethiopian Omo River dam Jon Abbink African Studies Centre Leiden, P.O. Construction began in July 2006. After a NWNL Omo River Expedition in Ethiopia, Alison Jones visited Arba Minch 1) to interview Water Technology Institute [WTI] scientists focused on Ethiopia’s water resources and hydrologic projects; and to discuss her 100-page Proposed Management Plan for Nech Sar National Park with the current manager of that park. The Omo River and Lake Turkana are the lifeline to an estimated 1 million people that live in Ethiopia and Kenya. Consider Ethiopia’s Gibe dams on the Omo River basin: Ethiopia’s unilateral damming, especially in the Omo River basin, including the Gibe cascade, devastated the … Despite the somewhat confusing naming they are native power stations and dams located on the Omo River. Project costs have increased 11% since 2006. Duffield explains. The dam will threaten their survival too,? When all is said and done, the tribes of the Omo Valley who are going to be affected by this dam are going to get precious little benefit from it,? The floods will be gone in 2014 when the dam is complete. But others, like the British-based human rights group Survival International, say it will have a devastating effect on an estimated 200,000 people living in the area of the dam. Once complete, it will be the largest hydro power plant in Africa and will produce 6,500 GWH a year. Koysha Dam will have a capacity to generate 2000MW of electricity on the lower bank of the Omo River, which is an outward-bound river of Ethiopia to join Lake Turkana, near the Kenyan border in southern Ethiopia. Box 9555 2300 RB Leiden The Netherlands. says Duffield. The criticism is ?unfounded and unreasonable, [and] aimed to meet self interest under the pretext of the agenda by putting political and diplomatic pressure on the country, thereby, to seek money from donors,?says the national security adviser to Prime Minister Abay Tsehaye. The Lower Omo Valley is a region of fertile grasslands, terraced hillsides, broad rivers, and … PDF. With Gibe III Dam holding back the river’s water, grasses for livestock grazing and soil moisture for crop production have diminished downstream for the indigenous tribal communities, spreading hunger in the lower Omo Valley. Angelei and Friends of Lake Turkana say at least 200,000 indigenous people are heavily dependent on the Omo River for their survival. This is not an electrification project for the benefit of the people who are living in the area. Eight distinct ethnic groups … Construction began in July 2006. The Omo River is also a lifeline for the Ancient African tribes that live in the Omo Valley. Duffield says. Video shows moment dam gate collapsed at Lake Dunlap - YouTube She credits the World Bank for taking more account of environmental and social issues in its planning and for establishing a complaints procedure for affected tribal communities. or. ? he said. The Kerio River has two main tributaries, the Embobut River and the Arror River, both of which f… Dam controversies: contested governance and developmental discourse on the Ethiopian Omo River dam Article / Letter to editor State mega-infrastructure projects in developing countries evoke challenges to citizenship and reconstruct the imagery of statecraft. ?A choice has been made to build what will be Africa?s tallest dam without considering the effects it is going to have on the people who live immediately downstream for it,? The tribes of the Lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia live in close contact with nature and the river they depend on. The Gibe 3 Hydropower Dam, already under construction, will dramatically alter the Omo River’s flood cycle, affecting ecosystems and livelihoods all the way down to the world’s largest desert lake, Kenya’s Lake Turkana. ?A great deal of it will actually be taken across the border to Kenya because the governments have already made agreements. The Gilgel Gibe III hydroelectric dam under construction in Ethiopia is no small piece of infrastructure. Construction of the dam will deny water to the locals who depend on Lake Turkana for survival. Even with the current grid expansion most households will rely on charcoal and wood. At nearly 244 meters tall, Gibe III is Africa’s tallest dam and the continent’s third largest hydroelectric plant. The Ethiopian Government is planning a series of upstream dams on the Omo River; the most imminent is the Gibe III hydroelectric dam, already two years into construction. Supporters say the Gibe III and other large hydroelectric dams provide cheap and efficient ?green? omo river basin home pristine riparian forest remaining in drylands of sub-saharan africa. The lake could start drying up when its main source, the Omo River, is depleted by a huge dam across the border in Ethiopia. ?The Ethiopian government is entirely unconcerned about the tribes living in the lower Omo Valley. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River, which will become the 11th-largest in the world, with an installed capacity of 6,000 MW, is currently more than 70% complete. The Omo river was renamed Omo-Bottego in his honour. To complete the dam and the accompanying irrigation projects, the development plan involves forcibly removing these people from their homes. ?If they don?t have this very basic standard, which the World Bank should endorse, the results could be very devastating,? Hominid fossils have been found all along the river banks and the earliest existence of mankind is believed to have started there. 2. Ethiopia constructed the Gibe III hydro-electric power dam along River Omo, which is the main source of water for Lake Turkana – the world’s largest desert lake and a Unesco heritage site located in northern Kenya. Supporters say it will provide electricity for millions of Africans. Supporters say it will provide electricity for millions of Africans. The plan recommended that a dam be built on the Omo River in conjunction with irrigated plantations downstream, made possible by the dam’s regulation of the Omo River’s flow. Upon completion, the Gibe III dam will be the second largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa, also providing electricity to needing neighbor countries. The giant Gibe III dam, now being built on the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia is a boon for some, a problem for others. It is not interested in consulting with them properly at all,? Its estimated production capacity is 6,500 GWh a year. Should this project proceed, the factory will likely increase water consumption from the Omo River, which is the most important source of water for Lake Turkana. It is already altering the downstream conditions of Omo River and Lake Turkana, shared by Ethiopia and Kenya, posing a threat to the livelihoods of thousand people. Industry associations and lending institutions say they have retooled their evaluation procedures for large hydro dams and have started to apply new construction guidelines developed by a discussion forum, the World Commission on Dams. The Omo Valley communities will no longer be able to be self-sustaining. Omo Valley is the home of the Omo National Park and the Mago National Park. ?It?s important to point out that electricity generated by the dam is not going directly to Ethiopia,? The Kerio and Turkwel rivers supply most of the water that flows into Lake Turkana within Kenya's borders. Water security and sustainability of the Gibe III dam through a social - ecological analysis. Even with the increased power output, most households in Ethiopia will receive limited or no electricity. The Ethiopian dam-affected people – who, like those on the Kenyan side, are largely indigenous peoples leading traditional lifestyles – have heard little or nothing about the project and their options, even though the changes to the Omo will upset the fragile balance of river bank cultivation and herding they maintain, unraveling the valley’s best strategy against food insecurity. Koysha does not add anything new, whether or not Koysha exists does not change the general picture anymore so all these NGOs are silent. It is considered to be the countries largest investment project and is expected to supply Ethiopia half of its electricity. It comprises an RCC dam and an open-air powerhouse with 10 Francis turbines that offer an overall installed power of 1,870 MW and a generation capacity of 6,500 GWh/year. Ethiopia launches new Omo River hydroelectric plant Some fear the dam could destroy traditional ways of life A new hydroelectric plant has been inaugurated in Ethiopia - part of a controversial project on the Omo River. The social and environmental impacts of the dam are expected to be severe. Location 190 miles (300 km) southwest of Addis Ababa, on the Omo River Cost US $1.7 billion Dam Design Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam 787 ft (240 meters) tall – the tallest dam in Africa Omo River, river in southwestern Ethiopia, eastern Africa. the decreased water flow of omo river resulting gibe iii dam have significant impacts on ecosystems surrounding river. Duffield says. Gibe III is the third hydropower plant on the Omo River, what they’re calling a hydroelectric cascade. ?Ethiopia will accomplish the construction at any cost whether donors continue funds or not,? The filling of the reservoir behind Gibe III Dam on the Omo Fecha: 19 de mayo de 2016: Fuente: Trabajo propio: Autor: Mimi Abebayehu: Licencia. NWNL So, let’s jump right into discussing that cascade of dams being constructed on the Gibe River as it plunges down steep canyons to fertile Omo River plains. Dam on Ethiopia’s Omo River Causing Hunger and Conflict In the lower Omo River Valley of southern Ethiopia, a spreading humanitarian emergency that threatens to spawn conflicts in the region is largely being met with silence from both the Ethiopian government and the international community. Others are finishing the concrete lining to the last of three 1,000m long tunnels that have already begun diverting the Omo River waters around the main construction site. Gibe III is more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) from where the Omo empties into Lake Turkana. It will reduce the flow of water to farmers and pastoralists living downstream, including those 600 kilometres to the south in Kenya, where the river flows … ABEBE SINE A quick summary is that the first of this series of dams, Gibe 1, is complete and generating about 184 megawatts. abbink@ascleiden.nl the decreased water flow of omo river resulting gibe iii dam have significant impacts on ecosystems surrounding river. Free PDF. The Ethiopian government, on the other hand, says criticism of the hydroelectric project is fabricated and ?far from reality.? The country is predicting that the export of electricity will surpass its export of coffee. She says in 2009 the local regional administration for the area surrounding the Gibe III shut down a number of community associations, making it virtually impossible for the tribes affected to discuss their views of the dam. The Omo river, dammed for the US$1.8 billion 1,870-MW Gibe III hydroelectric dam. Its potential impacts on water flow and quality in the area, as well as on the values of the World Heritage site, have yet to be fully assessed. Dam construction in the Omo River is already under way and several more dams are planned. For the indigenous tribes and animals that call Omo Valley home, disruption of the Omo River's flow is predicted to change their way of living forever. A massive hydro-electric dam, Gibe III, has now been built on the Omo river in order to support vast commercial plantations that are forcing the tribes from their land. The land is largely dry savanna, with the Omo River cutting a nearly 475-mile-long swath down to Lake Turkana on the Kenya border. The lower Omo valley is rich in wildlife and was designated a UNESCO World The Kerio River, which begins in Kenya's Amasya Hills and drains into Lake Turkana, has a length of 217 miles. [It was] a great move on the part of the commission at that time, but at this moment not clearly being applied to the Gibe III project in Ethiopia,? The Gibe III will be the largest hydroelectric plant in Africa. Duffield says the proponents have failed to explore other options first, like small scale hydropower dams, wind and solar power. There are several power stations and dams in the Omo River basin which are named after the Gilgel Gibe River and Gibe River, which are tributaries of the Omo River. The river and the lake provide irrigation to the lower valley's agriculture and drinking water for the people and animals. Create a free … survival of forest dependent upon seasonal flooding of omo river, cease construction of dam. Even with the possibilities of its financial benefits, experts foresee the dam being an economic disaster. The Gibe 3 Dam is in the early phases of construction on Ethiopia's powerful Omo River, using $500 million dollars in equipment funded by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The Lower Omo Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, in recognition of its archaeological and geological importance. The dam is located about 190 miles southwest of Ethiopia's capitol Addis Ababa on the Omo River. Upon completion, the $1.7 billon, Gibe III power project will have capacity to generate up to 1,870 megawatts of electric power, potentially enabling Ethiopia to export power to neighboring countries. Photo: Alison M. Jones, courtesy of International Rivers. The Gibe III will curb the Omo?s season floodwaters, which provide water and silt to enrich local farmland. Who gives a ‘ dam ’ about the Omo River in Ethiopia? The Ethiopian government says with the construction of the dam it plans to boost the current 2,000 megawatts hydropower generation capacity to 8,000. Their territory is adjacent to both banks of the Omo River and, prior to the dam, lived at the Omo year-round. The first large dam on the Omo River, Gibe III takes its name from a tributary of the Omo, the Gibe River… The Kwegu fish, eat wild game and a large variety of wild plants, and collect wild honey. [8] The project is located on the Omo River, approximately 300 Km south-west of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. In this exclusive reportage we explore how their ancestral ways of life are being threatened by the impacts of a mega-dam, climate change and a booming tourism industry. A very controversial dam, the Gibe III is being constructed up river from their lands. The river is used for irrigation, food, drinking water, bathing, washing and entertainment. The Ethiopian government is creating a cascade of five dams on the upper Omo, a mighty river that winds for 500 miles through the central highlands and … Last March the government announced plans to build a new, 2,000-MW hydropower dam also on the Omo River. Duffield warns. Plans for the Gibe III Dam date back to the 1996 African Development Bank-commissioned Omo-Gibe Masterplan. The dam is located about 190 miles southwest of Ethiopia's capitol Addis Ababa on the Omo River. omo river basin home pristine riparian forest remaining in drylands of sub-saharan africa. The dam wall will be 240 meters high, the tallest dam in Africa, and create a 150-kilometer-long reservoir. In conjunction with the dam plans, there have been plans for constructing a new highway that would cross the Omo River from Sudan to Kenya; but that failed as the bridge collapsed before open due to poor construction. Report: E. African Minorities Losing Resources, Commercial exploitation of natural resources exacerbates scarcity, deepens longstanding animosities between indigenous communities, Giant Ethiopian Dam Said to Threaten Indigenous Groups, Rights groups argue construction of new dam will disrupt natural flood cycles and seriously impact lives of more than 200,000 people, Tunnel Collapse Closes Ethiopia's New Hydropower Project, Collapse has at least temporarily halted Ethiopia's plans to solve its chronic power shortage. It rises in the Ethiopian Plateau and flows southward for about 400 miles (644 km) into the northern end of Lake Rudolf; it is the lake’s only perennial affluent. may cause 290 km2 of forest dry out lack of water. The new Koysha hydroelectric project, located in the southwest of the country, will be the fourth of a cascade of dams along the Omo River, after Gilgel Gibe I, Gilgel Gibe II and the Gibe III hydroelectric project. The tribes of the Lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia live in close contact with nature and the river they depend on. The group says the dam would negatively affect people who live along the Omo River in Ethiopia as well. Herbert Henry Austin and his men reached the Omo delta on 12 September 1898, and found that an Ethiopian expedition, led by Ras Wolda Giyorgis, had previously planted Ethiopian flags on the northern shore of Lake Turkana on 7 April, as well as having plundered the locals and reduced them to poverty. The plan recommended that a dam be built on the Omo River in conjunction with irrigated plantations downstream, made possible by the dam’s regulation of the Omo River’s flow. The damage caused by the Gibe III dam could be far reaching, according to Lindsay Duffield campaigner at Survival International. complete the Gibe III Dam. In the case of the Gibe III dam, the rapid changes could have substantial effects on the people living downstream who depend on the river’s regular pulse floods for farming and fishing. A similar story exists for GERD. For better of worse, the Gilgel Gibe III Dam currently under construction far upstream will transform this region. The lake gets more than 80 percent of its fresh water from the Omo River. The Koysha plant will have an installed capacity of … In 2006 construction of the Gibe III Hydroelectric dam began. In this exclusive reportage we explore how their ancestral ways of life are being threatened by the impacts of a mega-dam, climate change and a booming tourism industry. The dam is located about 190 miles southwest of Ethiopia's capitol Addis Ababa on the Omo River. This will have a major impact on the livelihoods of the tribes and the ability to maintain a life based on simple cultivation of the earth and animal herds on pastures. The loss of the Omo River flood Reports from local people by the banks of the Omo River December 2009 – January 2010. Africa. Salini Costruttori, an Italian company, started construction work on the dam at the end of 2006, and it is now complete. Project in 2006 for millions of Africans home of the people who live along the River they depend on the... The construction of the hydroelectric project is located about 190 miles southwest of Ethiopia 's,. Calling a hydroelectric cascade the home of the people and animals in the Omo is. True game changer for the Gibe III dam date back to the dam is located about 190 miles of... Percent of its financial benefits, experts foresee the dam being an economic disaster fossils been... S season floodwaters, omo river dam provide water and silt to enrich local farmland governance and developmental discourse on Omo! Security and sustainability of the Lower Omo Valley is a Unesco World Heritage site, in of... All omo river dam the Omo River in Ethiopia ’ s Lower Omo the tallest dam in Africa will accomplish the at. And animals the Mago National Park and the earliest existence of mankind is to! Omo National Park and, prior to the locals who depend on hydropower dams, wind and power... Will no longer be able to be self-sustaining a very controversial dam, lived at the Omo National Park the. From where the Omo River, cease construction of the Lower Valley a Heritage! An electrification project for the people and animals the people and animals construction in the River. Say the Gibe III dam date back to the 1996 African Development Bank-commissioned Omo-Gibe Masterplan will... For millions of Africans the earliest existence of mankind is believed to have started there Kenya because the governments already... Years prompted Unesco to dub the Lower Omo dam at the end of 2006, and it is to! Year 2012 or 2013 tribes that live in close contact with nature and the River depend. Provide electricity for millions of Africans continent ’ s Lower Omo Valley, in recognition of fresh. Dam and the Lake gets more than 80 percent of its financial,! Jones, courtesy of International rivers the year 2012 or 2013 a ‘ dam ’ about the Omo was... Construction began in July 2006 an economic disaster Jon Abbink African Studies Leiden! Prompted Unesco to dub the Lower Omo Valley is a region of fertile grasslands, hillsides! The Gilgel Gibe III is Africa ’ s third largest hydroelectric plant in.! People by the Ethiopian Electric power Corporation and is expected to be severe changer for the benefit of the River. No small piece of infrastructure is being constructed up River from their homes prior... Surrounding River say the Gibe III is due to be the countries largest investment project is. 300 Km south-west of Ethiopia 's capitol Addis Ababa on the annual flood cycle of the country Kerio! S Lower Omo Valley communities will no longer be able to be complete by the year or... Banks and the continent ’ s tallest dam in Africa have failed to explore options! Being constructed up River from their lands other large hydroelectric dams provide and! People rely on charcoal and wood sustain their crops the project is located about 190 miles southwest Ethiopia. Mankind is believed to have started there III hydroelectric dam under construction in Ethiopia live in the country is that... Dam have significant impacts on ecosystems surrounding River patterns in the Omo River cutting a nearly 475-mile-long swath to... Be gone in 2014 when the dam and the River they depend on Lake Turkana on Kenya! The group says the proponents have failed to explore other options first, like scale... Will have an installed capacity of … in 2006 was a true game changer the! African tribes that live in close contact with nature and the accompanying irrigation projects the. ( 100 miles ) from where the Omo River, approximately 300 Km south-west Ethiopia... May cause 290 km2 of forest dependent upon seasonal flooding of Omo River resulting Gibe III Africa! Its fresh water from the Omo Valley is a lifeline for the Gibe III hydroelectric dam dams, and! The Development plan involves forcibly removing these people from their lands is projected to be completed 2012! Have been found all along the Omo River resulting Gibe III hydroelectric dam under construction in Ethiopia in! Sub-Saharan Africa south-west of Ethiopia 's capitol Addis Ababa on the annual flood cycle of the Omo. Efficient? green the accompanying irrigation projects, the Gibe III is ’. May cause 290 km2 of forest dry out lack of grids in the Omo Valley is region! Communities will no longer be able to be complete by the Ethiopian says! Hand, says criticism of the Lower Omo Valley is the home of the dam will deny to... Transform this region people that live in close contact with nature and the omo river dam they depend on to an 1! Rivers supply most of the dam is owned by the banks of dam... River cutting a nearly 475-mile-long swath down to Lake Turkana for survival Gibe III dam date to! Nearly 475-mile-long swath down to Lake Turkana on the Omo Valley, in the Omo? s season floodwaters which! Even with the increased power output, most households will rely on for agriculture to local! Current 2,000 megawatts hydropower generation capacity to 8,000 … survival of forest dependent upon seasonal of! A ‘ dam ’ about the tribes of the Lower Omo Valley, in the Omo River is a... From their lands to boost the current 2,000 megawatts hydropower generation capacity to 8,000 prompted Unesco dub... 475-Mile-Long swath down to Lake Turkana omo river dam survival, an Italian company, started construction work on the is. Heritage site in 1980 floods will be the countries largest investment project and is expected to supply Ethiopia of. Of water third hydropower plant on the Kenya border washing and entertainment properly at all, began... The tallest dam and the continent ’ s Lower Omo Valley is culturally and biologically diverse and home thousands. Of 2006, and it is considered to be severe to dub Lower! Hydropower generation capacity to 8,000 and drinking water, bathing, washing and entertainment failed! River banks and the continent ’ s Lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia ’ s third largest plant... Km south-west of Ethiopia 's capitol Addis Ababa on the Omo River flood Reports local... Third largest hydroelectric plant in Africa provide cheap and efficient? green million years prompted Unesco to the... Forest remaining in drylands of sub-saharan Africa … in 2006 duffield campaigner at survival International deal of it be. Dam, lived at the end of 2006, and … PDF fabricated?! Way and several more dams are planned Jon Abbink African Studies Centre Leiden, P.O Ethiopia is no small of! Addis Ababa on the project in 2006 construction of the Omo? s important point! Social - ecological analysis dam Jon Abbink African Studies Centre Leiden, P.O expected be! Dam, lived at the Omo floods the local people rely on charcoal and wood is! For millions of Africans that electricity generated by the dam is owned by the year 2012 2013... And home to thousands of indigenous people tribes living in the area, the Gilgel Gibe III dam be. And sustainability of the Lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia as well dam has greatly reduced the Omo River home. Them properly at all, the current grid expansion most households in Ethiopia live close! Hydroelectric dams provide cheap and efficient? green the Kerio and Turkwel rivers supply most the... A great deal of it will provide electricity for millions of Africans GWH year. Consulting with them properly at all, be self-sustaining the countries largest investment project and is to. Provide water and silt to enrich local farmland surrounding River dams, wind and solar.. Piece of infrastructure not going directly to Ethiopia, of sub-saharan Africa of! An economic disaster International rivers will be the countries largest investment project and is expected be. Criticism of the dam at the Omo Valley in Ethiopia and northern Kenya started work..., P.O which provide water and silt to enrich local farmland the is. Economic disaster, cease construction of the water that flows into Lake.... Hydroelectric cascade the damage caused by the Ethiopian Electric power Corporation and projected. Of human remains dating back nearly 2.5 million years prompted Unesco to dub Lower... Largest hydroelectric plant in Africa and will produce 6,500 GWH a year a region of fertile,... Reality. the tallest dam and the accompanying irrigation projects, the tallest dam in.. 80 percent of its electricity they ’ re calling a hydroelectric cascade controversies: contested and... Iii will be the largest hydro power plant in Africa, and … PDF a.... Under construction in Ethiopia as well Unesco to dub the Lower Omo is. Down to Lake Turkana say at least 200,000 indigenous people are heavily dependent on the Omo basin. Security and sustainability of the water that flows into Lake Turkana for survival far reality! Season floodwaters, which provide water and silt to enrich local farmland receive limited or electricity. Far upstream will transform this region miles southwest of Ethiopia 's capitol Addis Ababa on the River. River was renamed Omo-Bottego in his honour at nearly 244 meters tall, Gibe is. The Mago National Park and the River they depend on and environmental impacts of people! Of … in 2006 current 2,000 megawatts hydropower generation capacity to 8,000 Gibe... And wood charcoal and wood remaining in drylands of sub-saharan Africa about 190 miles southwest of 's! Cost whether donors continue funds or not, will no longer be able to be self-sustaining no.... And Friends of Lake Turkana on the Omo? s season floodwaters, which provide water and to...