Study of Environmental Impacts EI of the Heightening of Rosieres Dam

Abstract

This study was carried out at the area which is located south of Rosieres Dam and aimed to know the impacts of the dam heightening. The objectives of the study are to identify the area of agricultural land which will be covered by water after the dam heightening, and to study its effects on people who are living in the area, and also to identify the size of affected area of natural resources like forests and rangeland. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from the study area. The sample size consists of 61 respondents representing four villages from total of 28 villages extending along east and western banks of the Blue Nile River. SPSS program was used for data analysis and at the time the data were presented in tables in percentage and frequencies. The results were written as reports forms according to percentage and frequencies from those tables. The results of the study showed 15,000 to 20,000 individuals in all villages will be affected by the heightening, and 65% of the people said that they will lose 1-5 feddan of their agricultural land, and 36% said that their animals will suffer from shortage of green fodder around the dam lake, 70% said they will find difficulty to get firewood and charcoal in the new area, 60% of the population said they will lose cheap drinking water from the river and 19% said they will lose fishing facilities in the lake of dam. On the hand some people said that the heightening project is very important for their life. 78% said the project will provide them modern houses, 50% said it will improve the education services, 54% said it will give them more irrigated agricultural land, 42% of people said the project will improve the health care, and 37% said it will offer them electricity. Finally, the study recommends to solve the negative impacts and support the positive ones of the heightening project which leads in term of sustainable development for the whole country.