Lake Manantali

Lake Manantali is a large artificial lake, formed by the 1989 construction of the Manantali Dam, on the Bafing River in Mali. Its northern point is located 90 km to the south-east of the city of Bafoulabé.

Manantali Dam

Lake Manantali
View from space. The Manantali Dam is at the top left corner of the lake, with the Bafing River running towards Senegal to the northwest. The river continues directly south.
Lake Manantali
Coordinates	13.158°N 10.344°W / 13.158; -10.344
Type	artificial
Primary inflows	Bafing River
Primary outflows	Bafing River
Basin countries	Mali
Surface area	477 km2 (184 sq mi)
Water volume	11.3 billion cubic metres (9.2×10^6 acre⋅ft)
Settlements	Manantali, Tondidji

Size

Lake Manantali covers 477 km² and contains 11.3 billion m³ of water. Its formation forced 12,000 people from their homes and flooded 120 km² of forest. The lake largely ended the flood patterns on both the Bafing and Senegal Rivers, compromising traditional agriculture which depended upon seasonal flooding. The lake has created benefits as well: consistent navigation downstream of the dam, irrigation of surrounding land, and a source for commercial fishing. The dam itself provides hydroelectric power through much of the region.^[1]