Gambia River: Orange alert maintained, water level receding in Kédougou

The water level continues to recede in Kédougou and at several stations in the upper Gambia River basin. However, the hydrological situation remains under close monitoring, with orange alerts maintained at several monitoring points.

According to the daily hydrological bulletin from the Tambacounda/Kédougou Water Resources Brigade, issued this Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 8:00 AM, the water level at the Kédougou station is 5.38 meters, compared to 6.20 meters the previous day, representing a decrease of 82 centimeters in 24 hours. Despite this drop, the level remains significantly higher than that recorded on the same date in 2025, with an interannual increase of 1.72 meters. With the alert level set at 7 meters, the river is currently 1.62 meters below this threshold.

At Mako, the water level is also falling. It has dropped from 5.15 meters to 4.97 meters, a decrease of 18 centimeters. Here again, the year-on-year comparison shows a level 1.31 meters higher than that observed on October 8, 2025. The alert level is set at 6 meters, leaving a margin of error of 1.03 meters. The orange alert remains in effect.

Worrying increase in Simenti and Gouloumbou

Further downstream, the trend is different. At Simenti, the water level reached 11.01 meters, compared to 10.63 meters the previous day, representing a rise of 38 centimeters in 24 hours. However, the level remains 1.99 meters below the alert threshold of 13 meters. Compared to the same period in 2025, the rise is 3.36 meters.

In Gouloumbou, the water level is also rising, increasing from 10.25 to 10.37 meters, a rise of 12 centimeters. The alert level is 12 meters, with a deviation of 1.63 meters. The year-on-year change is positive at 38 centimeters. An orange alert is also in effect here.

Decreases were recorded on several tributaries.

On the tributaries, the overall trend is downward. At Diaguiri, the water level has dropped from 5.40 to 4.89 meters, a decrease of 51 centimeters. However, the level remains 1.76 meters higher than that recorded a year earlier. The alert level is set at 6 meters, and the orange alert remains in effect.

At Thiokoye, the water level has receded by 56 centimeters to reach 5.85 meters, compared to 6.41 meters the previous day. Despite this decrease, the level shows an inter-year increase of 3.26 meters.

In Niokolokoba, the drop is much smaller: the level goes from 7.10 to 7.08 meters, which is only 2 centimeters less in 24 hours.

The most dramatic drop was recorded at Diarha Pont, where the water level fell from 4.63 meters to 3 meters, a decrease of 1.63 meters in 24 hours. The report indicates an inter-year decrease of 1.63 meters.

A situation that still needs to be monitored

The summary table thus confirms a contrasting situation in the Gambia River basin: marked decrease in Kédougou, Mako, Diaguiri and Thiokoye, but continued rise in water levels in Simenti and Gouloumbou.

Despite the decrease in water levels observed at several stations, levels remain significantly higher than last year at several monitoring points. Water resource services are therefore urging continued vigilance, particularly in areas under orange alert.