The Sio, Malaba and Malakisi rivers drain two adjacent catchments in the transboundary area between Kenya and Uganda. In these territories the recourse to poor agricultural practices has led to environmental degradation mostly in terms of water quality (shortage, pollution, etc). In addition to this situation, critical issues arising from Climate change effects are more and more noticeable on agricultural productivity and consequentially on self-sustaining capability of local populations.
The Angololo Water Resources Management and Development Project is classified as a priority in the strategic development plans for both states. The project, financed by the African Development Bank, aims to contribute towards improvement in water endowment serving primary sector activities and thereafter in food security of studied lands, through storage of water resources in a reservoir in order to being able to modulate its availability during seasons.
The studies carried on by BETA Studio, in an international Joint Venture, concern the Feasability Studio and the Detail Design of a dam along the Malaba river (2000 m2 hydrographic basin extent), at the border between Uganda (Tororo District) and Kenya (Busia County). The project consists in a rockfill embankment characterized by a concrete sidal spillway, a 430 m of top length and a height of 36 m, setting up a reservoir of about 31.65 Mm³. Furthermore, the activities concern a hydroelectrical power plant of 2 MW with a production of 6.79 MkW/h; the construction of an irrigation distribution system which serves an area of about 3900 ha in the Valley of Malaba River and is used in addition for livestock activities with a comprehensive demand of about 30.19 Mm³/year. Moreover, the realization of waterworks supporting around 300’000 people in an area along the Valley of Malaba River, north from the homonymous city, is planned.
