Lake Turkana

Obama Urged to Talk On Gibe 3 Dam | The East African

A dam in Ethiopia.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Environmental activists urged President Barack Obama to raise concerns about an Ethiopian dam's impact on Kenya when he met with government officials in Addis Ababa this week.

Last Rites for the Jade Sea? | National Geographic

Tribesmen in Lake Turkana
Monday, July 27, 2015
Lake Turkana sustains the tribes in Kenya’s remote north, but projects upstream threaten its lifeblood.

An Open Letter to President Obama

Monday, July 13, 2015
President Barack Obama The White House Washington, DC Dear Mr. President, As you prepare to visit Ethiopia, a highly concerning situation in the country’s Lower Omo Valley deserves your urgent attention. The Lower Omo Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to unique agro-pastoral communities whose way of life and identities are closely linked to the land and attuned to the natural variations in the Omo River. Yet these indigenous peoples and their unique cultures are under threat from developments on the Omo, in particular the Gibe 3 Dam. Currently in its final stages of constructi

Gibe III Reservoir Begins Filling, Launching Lake Turkana’s Slow Decline

Gibe III reservoir is filling. Photo: Landsat
International Rivers has learned that the reservoir behind the huge Gibe III Dam on Ethiopia's Omo River has begun filling. The result could be the death of Lake Turkana, the world's largest desert lake, which is almost completely dependent on the Omo for replenishing its water levels. Kenya seems to be taking a "see no evil" approach.

Lake Turkana At Risk: FAQ

Lake Turkana.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Lake Turkana. Photo copyright Jane Baldwin Lake Turkana is a miraculous natural wonder that supports vibrant, unique cultures and remarkable biodiversity. Turkana is the largest permanent desert lake in the world, and Africa’s fourth largest lake. Because its main water source is controlled by Ethiopia, which is rapidly developing its rivers for hydropower and irrigation, Lake Turkana is now at risk of ecological collapse. The Omo River, which originates in Ethiopia, accounts for about 90% of the lake’s inflow. Developments now underway in the Lower Omo Valley will dramatically reduce the

The Scramble for Water, Land and Oil in the Lower Omo Valley

Sunday, January 25, 2015
The remote Omo watershed in East Africa encompasses life-giving rivers and a huge desert lake in both Kenya and Ethiopia. Home to a number of tribal peoples who make their living from the land and waters, this region is now undergoing rapid transformation from major industrial projects that are taking resources from local people. At the core of this industrialization is Gibe III Dam. Ethiopia has repeatedly and deliberately ignored the ways that Gibe III Dam and related plantations affect downstream livelihoods and Lake Turkana. Externalizing costs, and isolating developments from their region

A Month in the Cradle of Humanity

Turkana fishermen
The scorching sun beats down as I trek across the hot, dry sand. Streams of sweat snake down my back and I fan myself to cool my complaining body. Looking around, I see scattered thorn trees and dry grass clumps peppering the landscape.

Community Voices from Lake Turkana

Wednesday, January 7, 2015
“We don’t accept this. We disagree with whoever is planning this. We will never agree to it. Once the dam is functional, everything people feed on will disappear. Starvation will take over.” - Rebecca Arot, Turkana Pastoralist The people of Lake Turkana in Kenya are facing catastrophic changes from upstream developments in Ethiopia. In the years since Ethiopia began building the Gibe III Dam on the Omo River, there has been little effort to understand and document the concerns of the downstream communities that will be badly affected by this huge project. In addition to the changes t

Recipe for Lake Turkana's Survival: Just Add Water

International Rivers' Africa team confers with Dr. Sean Avery
In my line of work, you never want to say “I told you so.” Nothing good can come from being right about the damage from poorly planned dams like Ethiopia's Gibe III. Learn about our recent efforts to prevent that “I told you so” moment from happening to Lake Turkana in Kenya.

Day of Action Defending World Heritage Rivers

First Bend of the Nu River
From the March 2014 World Rivers ReviewAs I write this, our offices are abuzz with plans for March 14, the International Day of Action for Rivers. This will be the seventeenth year of the event; International Rivers was there when the idea arose from the first meeting of dam-affected peoples in Curitiba, Brazil, and we’ve been celebrating and activating ever since. It’s one of the best pleasures to be a part of the amazing international movement of river activists. Once again, we anticipate hundreds of demonstrations, vigils, workshops and celebrations as people from more than 40 countri

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