Fear has gripped residents of Turkana following reports that Turkwel Dam is about to spill over any time.
An estimated 300,000 people live in the Turkwel River basin. They are likely to be displaced from their homes and millions of shillings worth of property destroyed.
Turkwel Dam is located between Turkana and West Pokot counties. It has a capacity of 1.6 billion cubic meters and covers an area of 16,061 acres. The dam is Kenya's highest at 1,150 metres and produces 106MW of electricity.
Authorities say since its commissioning in 1991, the water has never reached its 1,150 metres height. But today only less than two metres remain to the spilling level.
The ongoing rain in Mt Elgon and Cherang'any Hills catchments has filled the dam to its highest ever level.
The Water Resources Authority attributes the rising water levels to tectonic activities and the effects of climate change on rainfall patterns.
Turkana water executive Christopher Aletia warned that the spill may affect at least 40,399 households downstream.
“We are working closely with national government, Kerio Valley Development Authority, KenGen and the Water Resources Authority on what can be done to save lives and livelihoods of people living downstream. According to the assessment that has been done health facilities, schools and water points are likely be destroyed when the dam spills,” Aletia said.
He said preliminary data collected by the county authorities and other institutions indicated that 40,399 households, 54 irrigation schemes, 23 health facilities, 72 water points, 71 schools and close to 3.5 million livestock whose total value is about Sh2 billion were situated along the spillage route.
“The county has established a robust mechanism for information sharing with all the relevant stakeholders particularly KVDA, KenGen as well as NDMA on the daily changes in the water level as part of a readiness plan to be communicated to the communities in good time,” Aletia said.
He said a contingency plan was very clear on measures to be taken to avoid loss of lives and destruction of property.
Turkana residents living along the river have been urged to move to higher grounds.
A team led by WRA chairman Joe Mutambu said they have visited the Turkwel Dam and reports generated throughout the month are alarming.
But Mutambu assured residents about the stability of the dam and dispelled rumours that it may collapse.
He said the issue is not about the stability of the dam but about the rapid rising of water level.
"We urge residents living along the banks of River Turkwel to move to higher grounds because the water will fill the dam and the dam will spill over. That water can't be accommodated in any river," he said.
The chairman said the reason the water level of the dam is increasing is because of rain and the water table is rising, a phenomenon that happens in a cycle of 50 years.
The authority chief officer Mohammed Moulid Shurie said the spillage might sweep through more than five areas.
The areas in particular danger are Katilu, Lodwar, Kalemnyang, Loyapat, Nakwamoru and other settlements along the shores of Lake Turkana.
Shurie said a post-spillage assessment will be done to determine demarcation of riparian land and appropriately advise on what needs to be done.