Full Length Research Paper
Abstract
Small dams are essential for providing water to rural communities in semi-arid and arid regions, supporting human consumption, livestock, and limited irrigation. Constructed with earth embankments and controlled or uncontrolled spillways, these dams store seasonal runoff from ephemeral streams (Wadis), with capacities ranging from less than 1 to 10 million cubic meters (Mm³). Despite their importance, many small dams face technical and management challenges that undermine their sustainability. The Um Dafoug dam in South Darfur, Sudan, exemplifies these challenges. With a storage capacity of 10 Mm³, it spans a transboundary seasonal stream flowing from Sudan into the Central African Republic. Although strategically significant, the dam has suffered three failures, the most severe in 2022, caused by a combination of extreme flooding and critical design flaws. Inadequate studies and assessments during planning resulted in insufficient spillway capacity and persistent water seepage, compromising the dam’s structural integrity. Management shortcomings further exacerbated these issues. Limited community engagement, poor coordination among institutions, the absence of a community-based maintenance framework, and the lack of a tariff system for water usage highlight systemic weaknesses. Unregulated water use has led to environmental degradation, soil erosion, and increased risk of waterborne diseases, illustrating the "tragedy of the commons". A co-management approach guided by Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles is essential to address these challenges. IWRM promotes community-based maintenance systems, stakeholders’ coordination, a user-pays model for water services, and environmental protection measures. By adopting IWRM, the safety and sustainability of small dams can be enhanced, improving resilience to climate change and reducing the risk of future failures in Sudan and similar regions.
Key words: Small dams, co-management, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches, Um Dafoug dam.
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