Lake Sélingué is a 409 km2 artificial lake in Mali's Sikasso Region, formed by the Sélingué Hydroelectric dam on the Sankarani River. Its southwestern arm forms part of the border with Guinea. Lake Sélingué, rising and falling in the rainy and dry seasons, allows agriculture on the irrigated perimeters, managed by the Office of Rural Development of Sélingué, as well as fishing. Since its creation, numerous communities have grown along the lake, the two largest being the towns of La Carrière and Faraba. Fishing the lake provides employment for more than 8,000 people in its various fishing communities, with an annual catch of around 4,000 tonnes. Most fish available in Bamako come from Lake Sélingué.[1]

Lake Sélingué
Fishermen casting nets on Lake Sélingué
Lake Sélingué is located in Mali
Lake Sélingué
Lake Sélingué
LocationSikasso Region
Coordinates11°37′N 8°14′W / 11.617°N 8.233°W / 11.617; -8.233
TypeMonomictic reservoir
Basin countriesMali, Guinea
Surface area409 km2 (158 sq mi) (max)
Average depth5.3 m (17 ft)
Max. depth20 m (66 ft)
Water volume2.166 km3 (1,756,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation348.5–340.0 m (1,143.4–1,115.5 ft)
SettlementsLa Carrière, Faraba
Lake Sélingué seen from space.

Sélingué is Mali's second largest artificial lake (reservoir) after Lake Manantali, created by the construction of the Manantali dam in 1988.

References

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  1. ^ Knaap, M. van der. Status of fish stocks and fisheries of thirteen medium-sized African reservoirs. CIFA Technical Paper. No. 26. Rome, FAO. 1994. 107p.