11. Kainji Dam and Lake

The area covered by the Kainji dam, Kainji Lake and Kainji National Park constitutes a distinct landscape within the Nigerian scenery. The dam and lake were created along the River Niger approximately 105 km upstream from Jebba between 1964 and 1968. Though the primary focus of the dam and associated impoundment is hydroelectricity generation, other ancillary purposes are flood control, navigation enhancement, irrigation and fishery development. The lake’s annual hydrograph shows there are two peak inflows: the ‘White’ and ‘Black’ floods, occurring in September and February, respectively. Draw-down occurs from February to June. A National Park was created from two existing game reserves that were contiguous to the impoundment area. Notable geomorphological features, namely corestones, tors, ruwares, and littoral caves and crevices abound in the area. Corestones, tors and ruwares were etched out from crystalline rocks, while the caves and crevices were created by the impact of waves and seiches on headlands and promontories in the lake’s draw-down zone.