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Wonder
Gouina Falls
In short
It seems – not much time is left to enjoy the beauty of the mighty Gouina Falls in Mali. It is planned to divert most of the water from the falls to a new hydroelectric plant.
40.8%
GPS coordinates
Location, address
Name in French
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Height
Drops
Tallest drop
Width
Average annual flow
Stream
Map of the site
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In detail
Description
Gouina Falls have formed on the mighty Senegal River. The water here falls over the step of hard Precambrian sandstone forming some 15 – 16 m tall and approximately 500 m wide waterfall.
During the rainy season these falls become very powerful – up to 2430 m³ of water every second (or even 5000 m³/s) what is comparable with the most powerful falls in the world, but during the dry season the volume falls hundreds of times to meager 12 – 13 cubic meters per second. Thus the other nickname of falls – "Niagara falls of Mali" – are justified to some extent.
Above the falls in several places have formed large potholes – up to 2 m deep and 2 by 2 m large voids, which become visible during the dry season.
Hydroelectric plant
Next to the falls is ongoing construction of Gouina Hydroelectric Plant – the possibility of this plant was explored already in 1921-1922 (1). Unfortunately this plant will take away much of the power of this waterfall, leaving the rim of the falls almost dry – just as it happened to the similar Félou Falls downstreams.
References
- Y.Chaineau, L’usine hydro-electrique du Felou – La chute de Gouina. La Houille Blanche, Mars-Avril 1929. Visited in 4th January 2016.
Linked articles
Wonders of Mali
It is well possible that the most romantic African country is Mali. Like many countries in this beautiful continent, Mali nowadays has complex times, but in the past, it has seen prosperity, a flourishing of science, and political importance. Here developed several empires, were built enormous cities. Traces of those times have been preserved up to this day – in the highly unusual architecture, living traditions, ruins of once-prosperous cities, and art monuments.
Waterfalls
Some of the most fascinating and awe-inspiring natural monuments are waterfalls or locations where a river abruptly changes its elevation.
Wonders of Africa
Africa has many outstanding wonders and some of the most surprising ones are the heritage of Egyptian civilization, the vernacular architecture of the Sahel region, tropical ecosystems, and others.
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Mali: Land of Gold and Glory
Introduce elementary and middle school students to the ancient African empire of Mali, and teach them about an amazing history–and about themselves. Mali, one of the most glorious but least known civilizations of the world, comes to life through vivid color photographs, timelines, maps…and the legends of the griots, or storytellers, who’ve preserved the past of Mali for millennia, handing down stories of brave kings from generation to generation.
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