We're not to blame for floods in Tana, Garissa: KenGen
Residents of Handaraku village relocate following the bursting of River Tana banks. KenGen has refuted claims made my section of leaders and residents that it released huge volumes of water from the Seven Forks dams causing flooding in Tana River and Garissa counties. FILE PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
KenGen CEO Rebecca Miano says the Seven Forks dams help to regulate river levels by storing huge volumes of water thus reducing flooding.
Ms Miano says KenGen has had an elaborate water management plan for regulating storage and discharges.
The overflow stopped after the intensity of rains in the area between Kamburu and Kiambere dams subsided.
Section of residents and leaders accused KenGen of releasing water from Seven Forks dams.
Power producer, KenGen, has denied claims it deliberately discharged water from the Seven Forks dams resulting in flooding in Tana River and Garissa counties.
Some leaders and residents from Garissa alleged that KenGen had released huge volumes of water from its dams at the height of flooding, causing untold suffering downstream.
On the contrary, the firm’s chief executive Rebecca Miano said the Seven Forks dams help to regulate river levels by storing huge volumes of water thus reducing flooding downstream.
The firm has also warned of prolonged flooding with Masinga Dam expected to fill to capacity in the next one week.
OVERFLOW
Ms Miano said KenGen has an elaborate water management plan for regulating storage and discharges, and usually lowers water levels in the dams during the dry season to create more storage space before the rainy season begins.
“The water flowing into the dams has to fill up the empty capacity first before the dams can overflow and channel the water back to the river course. This plan greatly delays the onset of flooding as well as the amounts of water that overflows the Kiambere Dam after filling up, effectively reducing the intensity of flooding downstream,” said Ms Miano.
She said there had been heavy inflows into Tana River downstream of Kiambere dam, resulting in flooding in the lower Tana River basin five days before the dam started overflowing on April 24, 2018.
KenGen said the overflow, which went on for five days, was due to heavy inflows from Mutonga, Kathita, Mara and Ena rivers in addition to seasonal streams.
The overflow stopped after the intensity of rains in the area between Kamburu and Kiambere dams subsided.
MASINGA DAM
“It is worth noting the unusual rainfall pattern prevailing this year, in that the Masinga Dam is not yet full,” Ms Miano added.
"The dam level was 1,052.94m at 0600 hours on May 7, 2018 meaning that the reservoir has more than 3.5m to go before attaining full capacity. At the current inflow rates, the reservoir may attain full capacity by May 16, 2018."
She said the company issued an alert last month through the county commissioner’s office warning communities downstream of the Seven Forks dams of impending floods due to heavy rains in Mount Kenya and the Aberdare catchment areas.
Ms Miano has also warned of prolonged flooding with Masinga Dam expected to fill to full capacity by May 16.
Under normal circumstances, KenGen said Masinga Dam usually fills up first, then water flows to the dams downstream, which has not been the case this year.
