List of dams and reservoirs in Kenya

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The following is a partial list of dams in Kenya.

During Kenya's colonial era, the word "dam" referred to both the structure as well as the reservoir or lake impounded by it. [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tana River (Kenya)</span>

The ca. 1000 km long Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, it is also called Sagana River in the Mt Kenya region and gives its name to the Tana River County. Its catchment covers ca. 100,000 km² and can be divided into the headwaters and the lower Tana consisting of the section downstream of Kora where the river flows for ca. 700 km through semi-arid plains. Its tributaries include some major rivers in the Central Region like Thika, Ragati River, Nyamindi, Thiba ,Mathioya, Chania in short all Rivers flowing from Mt Kenya and Aberdare Ranges all end up in River Tana. The river rises from Mt Kenya in Nyeri. Initially it runs east before turning south around the massif of Mount Kenya and meanders all the way up to Indian Ocean. A series of hydroelectric dams has been constructed along the river. These include the Masinga Dam, the Kamburu Dam, the Gitaru Dam, the Kindaruma Dam and the Kiambere Dam. en The Masinga Reservoir and the Kiambere Reservoir, created by the Masinga and Kiambere dams respectively, serve a dual purpose: hydro-electric power (HEP) generation and agricultural irrigation. The other three are used exclusively for HEP generation. A 2003 study reported that two-thirds of Kenya's electrical needs were supplied by the series of dams along the Tana River. Many people believe this river has groundwater underneath it, but it doesn't. The electricity is then supplied to the national grid system and distributed countrywide through a series of substations, transformers and cables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkwel River</span>

The Turkwel River is a river flowing from Mount Elgon on the border of Kenya and Uganda to Lake Turkana. The river is called the Suam River from its source to the border at Turkana County of Kenya. The name Turkwel is derived from the Turkana name for the river, Tir-kol, which means a river that "withstands the wilderness". The Turkwel begins on the lush green slopes of Mount Elgon and the Cherangani Hills, then traverses the Southern Turkana Plains, crosses the Loturerei Desert near Lodwar and empties into the world's largest desert lake, Lake Turkana. The river's flow is seasonally varied, and it is subject to flash floods in the rainy season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mbeere District</span> Administrative district in Kenya

Mbeere District was a former administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town was Siakago. The district had a population of 170,950 and an area of 2,093 km2. The district was split from Embu District in 1996. In 2010, it was merged into Embu County.

Benson Mbai Itwiku is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya and has represented the Masinga Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the Kenyan parliamentary election of 2007.

Gatundu South is an electoral constituency in Kiambu County, Kenya and the seat of the District Officer in Gatundu Town. It is one of twelve constituencies in Kiambu County. The constituency has four wards, Kiamwangi, Kiganjo, Ndarugo and Ng'enda all of them are within Kiambu County council. The constituency was established before the 1997 General Elections. Previously it was part of the larger Gatundu Constituency which was split into Gatundu South Constituency and Gatundu North Constituency it is ranked 182 out of 210 Constituencies in Kenya in size and 165 out of 210 in population size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenya Electricity Generating Company</span> State-owned electric power production company

Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC abbreviated to KenGen, is a government enterprise in the Republic of Kenya charged with the production of electricity for the country. KenGen is the largest electric power producer in Kenya, generating over 60% of the electricity consumed in the country.

The Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station, also known as the Gitaru Dam, is a rock and earth-filled embankment dam on the Tana River in Kenya. It straddles the border between Embu and Machakos Counties in the former Eastern Province. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation, and it supports a 225 megawatt power station.

The Kamburu Hydroelectric Power Station, also Kamburu Dam is a rock-filled embankment dam on the Tana River in Kenya which straddles the border of Embu and Machakos Counties in Eastern Province. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 93 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1971 and it was completed in 1975,with the power station getting commissioned the same year. US$23 million of the US$47 million project cost was provided by the World Bank. The power station is operated by Kenya Electricity Generating Company and is part of the Seven Forks Scheme.

The Kiambere Hydroelectric Power Station is an earth-filled embankment dam on the Tana River near Kiambere, Kenya. It straddles the border of Embu and Kitui Counties in the former Eastern Province. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 165 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1983 and it was completed in 1987. The power station was commissioned in 1988. Beginning in 2008 both turbine-generators were upgraded from 72 MW to 82.5 MW. They were commissioned in 2009. US$95 million in funding for the original project was provided by the World Bank. The power station is operated by Kenya Electricity Generating Company and is part of the Seven Forks Scheme.

The Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station, also Turkwel Dam, is an arch dam on the Turkwel River about 76 km (47 mi) north of Kapenguria in West Pokot County, Kenya. The dam serves several purposes to include hydroelectric power production, irrigation tourism and fisheries. It was constructed between 1986 and 1991. It supports the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the country, having an installed electric capacity of 106 megawatts (142,000 hp).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thika River</span>

The Thika River flows through Kiambu County in central Kenya and is a tributary of the Tana River. The river forms a psychological boundary between the counties of Murang'a and Kiambu. The Thika River is a significant source of hydroelectric power in Kenya and provides most of the water supply for Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city.

Masinga Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of eight constituencies in Machakos County. The constituency has seven wards, all electing councillors for the Masaku county council. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilgel Gibe III Dam</span> Dam in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, Ethiopia

The Gilgel Gibe III Dam is a 250m high roller-compacted concrete dam with an associated hydroelectric power plant on the Omo River in Ethiopia. It is located about 62 km (39 mi) west of Sodo in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. Once fully commissioned, it will be the third largest hydroelectric plant in Africa with a power output of about 1870 Megawatt (MW), thus more than doubling total installed capacity in Ethiopia from its 2007 level of 814 MW. The Gibe III dam is part of the Gibe cascade, a series of dams including the existing Gibe I dam and Gibe II power station as well as the planned Gibe IV and Gibe V dams. The existing dams are owned and operated by the state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power, which is also the client for the Gibe III Dam.

Ethiopia is called the water tower of Africa due to its combination of mountainous areas with a comparatively large share of water resources in Africa. Only a fraction of this potential has been harnessed so far, 1% at the beginning of the 21st century. In order to become the powerhouse of Africa, Ethiopia is actively exploiting its water resources by building dams, reservoirs, irrigation and diversion canals and hydropower stations. The benefits of the dams are not only limited to hydropower. Many dams are multi-purpose dams that are also designed to provide water for irrigation, drinking water and flood control. However, hydropower is expected to be the main benefit of the dams.

Masinga Hydroelectric Power Station, also Masinga Dam, is an embankment dam on the Tana River, the longest river in Kenya and straddles the border of Embu and Machakos Counties in Eastern Province and is located about 106 km. (66 mi.), by road, northeast of Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city. Construction of the dam began in 1978, and was completed in 1981. It is owned by Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA). The dam is used for power production and is part of the Seven Forks Scheme.

Masinga may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kesses Dam</span>

Kesses Dam is a small man-made lake in Kenya. It is one of the sources of the Yala River. It is used as a source of water for irrigation and domestic use, and also for boating and other water activities.

References

  1. Pettman, Charles (1913). Africanderisms; a glossary of South African colloquial words and phrases and of place and other names. Longmans, Green and Co. p. 137.