Emergency dredging operations to prevent flooding of White Volta River

The White Volta is one of the most important rivers in Ghana. It originates in Burkina Faso and flows through Ghana to the Gulf of Guinea. It is vital for drinking water, agriculture, industry and nature. The tropical rainy season in Ghana has become warmer and more humid in recent years. Increased rainfall, soil erosion, sand mining and sedimentation are leading to higher river levels and severe flooding in low-lying villages. These floods regularly cause significant damage, including loss of life, thousands of homes, belongings and valuable agricultural land. The livability of the river area is under pressure.

To deal with the ongoing flooding of the White Volta, the Ghanaian government is working on the “Emergency Flood Mitigation Project”. The shallows and sandbanks in the White Volta are dredged to create more water storage in the river. In addition, river beds are widened and reinforced with rock or earthen dams. Walhout has been contracted by a dredging contractor to provide advisory services on the organisation of dredging operations in northeastern Ghana, near the border region with Burkina Faso and Togo. The first 40 kilometers of the project were initiated in 2019.