title: Lake Manantali
text: # Lake Manantali
  
  Lake Manantali is a large artificial lake, formed by the 1989 construction of the Manantali Dam, on the Bafing River in Mali. Its northern point is located 90 km to the south-east of the city of Bafoulabé.
  
  ## Size
  
  Lake Manantali covers 477 $km^2$ and contains 11.3 billion $m^3$ of water. Its formation forced 12,000 people from their homes and flooded 120 $km^2$ of forest. The lake largely ended the flood patterns on both the Bafing and Senegal Rivers, compromising traditional agriculture which depended upon seasonal flooding. The lake has created benefits as well: consistent navigation downstream of the dam, irrigation of surrounding land, and a source for commercial fishing. The dam itself provides hydroelectric power through much of the region.
  
  