The Volta River Authority (VRA) has cautioned that if the water level of the Akosombo Dam surpasses its operational capacity, it could result in catastrophic consequences, with no lives or structures spared.
To prevent any unforeseen disaster, the VRA has indicated that it might be necessary to continue releasing water from the dam if the water level continues to rise.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Chief Executive of the VRA, Edward Obeng Kenzo, disclosed that the current water level of the dam stands at 277.26 feet, while its maximum operational level is 277.5 feet.
Going beyond this operational level could jeopardize the dam’s integrity, potentially leading to a massive release of water that could engulf areas along the Volta River, causing extensive damage and loss of life.
“We don’t want to spill any additional volume of water. We are tracking and with the data, we believe that we may not spill any volume of water. But if there should be any unexpected heavy rains into the dam, we’ll be compelled to spill. Where we are now, we are around 277.26 feet of water behind the dam. The dam’s operational level is 276, the maximum allowable operational level of the dam is 277.5 feet.”
“So we are left with only about 0.24 feet to get to that maximum operational level of the dam. So any level beyond this, we are putting the dam’s integrity at risk. If the dam should break, the volume of water that will come out of the dam – all those along the banks of the river, all the way to somewhere around Tema will be wiped into the sea. No human being will be saved, no structure will be saved, nothing will be saved,” Mr Kenzo said.
Mr. Kenzo emphasized that the VRA intends to avoid spilling additional water from the dam, and no such plans are in place for the coming days. However, he stressed the critical importance of staying below the operational level to prevent a dam breach.
The controlled water spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams commenced on September 15, 2023, due to a consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir.
This has resulted in numerous homes in areas like South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and other regions being submerged due to the spillage.
This has resulted in numerous homes in areas like South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and other regions being submerged due to the spillage.