Ruvyironza Multipurpose Water Resources Development Project

Ruvyironza Multipurpose Water Resources Development Project is located along the Ruvyironza River (a tributary of the Kagera River) near the village of Gatake in central Burundi. The project is envisaged to include a 65 m height composite earth fill-concrete dam with storage capacity of 266 MCM, which will expand irrigation by 14,674 ha and provide food for about 124,740 people (paddy rice and likely to include pulses and vegetables for local markets including Gitega town). The project also includes hydropower generation of 22 MW, supply of power to 846,000 people, supply of drinking water to 265,000 people, and restoration of degraded lands in the 2000 km² catchment upstream of the dam.

Ruvyironza Multipurpose Water Resources Development Project is located along the Ruvyironza River (a tributary of the Kagera River) near the village of Gatake in central Burundi. The project is envisaged to include a 65 m height composite earth fill-concrete dam with storage capacity of 266 MCM, which will expand irrigation by 14,674 ha and provide food for about 124,740 people (paddy rice and likely to include pulses and vegetables for local markets including Gitega town). The project also includes hydropower generation of 22 MW, supply of power to 846,000 people, supply of drinking water to 265,000 people, and restoration of degraded lands in the 2000 km² catchment upstream of the dam.

Identification/prefeasibility studies for the project were carried out by NELSAP-CU in 2012 with grant financing from the governments of Sweden and Norway. The project is in the NELSAP project pipeline awaiting funding for feasibility studies.