Gambia River: the water level continues to recede in Kédougou, but several tributaries are rising again

The hydrological bulletin of October 12, 2026, reports a drop in the level of the Gambia River at Kédougou, Mako, and Simenti. Conversely, several tributaries are experiencing a rise in water levels, while authorities maintain orange alerts at the main monitoring stations along the river.

The hydrological situation of the Gambia River is showing contrasting trends in the Kédougou region. According to the daily bulletin from the Tambacounda-Kédougou Water Resources Brigade, published on Monday, October 12, 2026, water levels are falling in Kédougou, Mako, and Simenti. However, this downward trend does not affect the entire river system, as several tributaries are experiencing sometimes significant rises in water levels.

At the Kédougou station, the river level dropped from 5.44 meters on Sunday, October 11th to 5.34 meters this Monday at 8:00 AM, a decrease of 10 centimeters in 24 hours. Despite this decline, the water level remains 1.83 meters higher than that recorded on the same date in 2025, when the river level was 3.51 meters.

At Mako, the water level is also falling, from 4.68 to 4.66 meters, a drop of 2 centimeters. The Simenti station follows the same trend, with a decrease of 13 centimeters, from 10.69 to 10.56 meters.

Gouloumbou rising, tributaries under surveillance

While the main course of the river is beginning to recede at several stations, the situation is different in Gouloumbou, where the level has risen from 10.70 to 10.78 meters, an increase of 8 centimeters in 24 hours.

The rise is even more pronounced on some tributaries. In Diaguiri, the water level has increased by 43 centimeters, from 4.47 to 4.90 meters. In Thiokoye, the rise reached 35 centimeters, with a water level of 5.55 meters compared to 5.20 meters the previous day.

In Niokolokoba, the water level rose from 6.70 to 6.80 meters, an increase of 10 centimeters. The most significant rise was recorded in Diarha Pont, where the water level rose by 51 centimeters in 24 hours, from 3.23 to 3.74 meters.

These changes reflect different hydrological dynamics depending on the station, while the levels recorded remain, in several localities, significantly higher than those observed at the same time of the previous year.

Orange alert remains in effect at four stations

The bulletin maintains the orange alert, accompanied by a call for extreme caution, at the stations of Kédougou, Mako, Simenti and Gouloumbou.

In Kédougou, the river level is 1.66 meters below the alert level of 7 meters. In Mako, the difference is 1.34 meters from the 6-meter threshold. In Simenti, the waters remain 2.44 meters below the alert level of 13 meters, while in Gouloumbou, the margin is now only 1.22 meters below the threshold set at 12 meters.

In Diaguiri, the level reached 4.90 meters, which is 1.10 meters below the alert level of 6 meters.

Another notable fact: the levels of the river and several tributaries remain significantly higher than in 2025. At Simenti, the difference reaches 4.07 meters. At Thiokoye, it stands at 3.38 meters, while at Diaguiri, it is 2.32 meters.

Despite the decrease observed at some stations, the rising water levels on several tributaries and the continued orange alert call for caution. Residents living near the river and affected waterways are therefore urged to remain attentive to the evolving hydrological situation.