Lagdo Reservoir
Lagdo Reservoir is a lake located in the Northern Province of Cameroon. The lake covers an area of 586 km². It is located at 8°53′N 13°58′E.
| Lagdo Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Province |
| Coordinates | 8°53′N 13°58′E |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Benue River |
| Primary outflows | Benue River |
| Basin countries | Cameroon |
| Built | 1977–1982 |
| Surface area | 586 km2 (226 sq mi) |
The Lagdo dam was built between 1977 and 1982 by a combination of engineers and Chinese workers, along with Cameroonian laborers. The company that managed the construction was the China International Water & Electric Corp. International power company AES Sonel runs the hydroelectric dam.
The dam is located 50 km south of the city of Garoua on the Benue River. Its construction was intended to supply electricity to the northern part of the country and allow the irrigation of 15,000 hectares of crops downstream. The dam is 308 m long, 40 m in height and 9 m thick. The dam is located within the Arrondissement de Lagdo in the Département de la Benoué in the North Province.
In 2012, water released from the dam flooded areas including Adamawa State in Nigeria, resulting in more than 10 deaths and loss of properties worth thousands of dollars. A bigger effect of the flooding was at the lower Benue river region where more than 10,000 homes were submerged for more than two weeks. This left more than 10,000 hectares of farmland flooded and the streets of Makurdi occupied by crocodiles and other dangerous creeping creatures. This was not the first time it had occurred, but the government of Nigeria has still not found a way to prevent it.
Viewed from space this lake resembles a small cat.