How are dams changing water quality in tropical African rivers?
Kariba dam (Photo: Simon Spratley, ATEC3D)
DAFNE project: Decision Analytic Framework to explore the water-energy-food Nexus in complex transboundary water resources of fast developing countries
The fast growing African population triggers a rising demand of water, food and energy. Such needs lead to major anthropogenic pressures on African River systems. Among others, the ongoing boom of dam constructions will affect river water quantity and quality.
In my current Ph.D. project, we investigate the Zambezi River – Kariba Dam system: this case study can help to shed some light on the water quality alteration by large dams in tropical regions. In particular, we characterize Kariba Lake’s internal stratification dynamics to understand how this man-made lentic system plays a major role for the downstream Zambezi River’s thermal and oxygen regimes. Moreover, through a modelling approach, we assessed and quantified the thermal and oxygen alteration in the Zambezi River downstream the reservoir. Scenario calculations indicate a large potential for mitigating downstream water quality alterations by implementing a hypothetical selective withdrawal technology. However, we show that a different and cooperative management of the existing infrastructure of Kariba Dam has the potential to mitigate most of the actual water quality alterations. Finally, we carried out a one-year water quality monitoring campaign across the Zambezi River Basin to deepen our understanding about the relationship between lake dynamics, dam management and river water quality alterations. Ultimately, we aim to assess the degree of reversibility of the main downstream alterations (temperature, oxygen, CO2, pH, …) and consequently the quantification of their longitudinal extent.
For more information about the DAFNE project click external pagehere or follow on external pageTwitter.
Collaboration
external pageDr. Martin Schmid Eawag
Dr. Robert Scott Winton ETH Zürich
Dr. Davide Vanzo ETH Zürich
external pageProf. Mario Franca IHE Delft
external pageProf. Nunzio Siviglia Università di Trento
external pageDr. Gretchen Gettel IHE Delft
external pageProf. Imasiku Nyambe University of Zambia
Funding
external pageHorizon 2020 Research and innovative Action
WATER 2015 of the European Union, GA no. 690268
Publications
Soft publications
- Calamita E. (2019). Understanding The Role Of Big Rivers In Africa. ETH Ambassadors - ETH Zürich.
- Calamita E. (2019). Zambezi water quality alterations under different dam operation scenarios and future climatic conditions. external pageNewsletter of DAFNE project.