The Bujagali hydropower project is a 250 megawatt facility that was set up to alleviate power shortages in Uganda. The project was perceived to have negative effects on major physico chemical characteristics of the upper Victoria Nile water. Key water physico chemical parameters monitored biannually in April and September from 2006 to 2015 at the upstream and downstream transects and in the reservoir were dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, TSS, oil/grease, conductivity and water clarity. Triplicate water samples for TSS plus oil and grease were analyzed from the laboratory following standard procedures. The rest of the parameters were determined in-situ using a CTD profiler. Reference for environmental compliance was made to NEMA and EU/WHO environmental standards for drinking water. All parameters were within acceptable limits i.e. dissolved oxygen (>3 mg/l); temperature (20 to 35 °C); TSS (< 100 mg/l); oil and grease (<10 mg/l), and pH (6 to 8.5). Thus, the BEL Project had so far had no significant negative effects on the major physico chemical characteristics of the upper Victoria Nile water. Continued monitoring is recommended to enable detection of any deviations, if any, from the observed trends.

Keywords: Bujagali, hydropower, Victoria Nile, physico-chemical parameters, effects, environmental standards