Mono River
Encyclopedia
The Mono River is the major river of eastern Togo
.
Approximately 400 km (248.5 mi) long, and draining a basin of about 20000 km² (7,722 sq mi), it rises between the town of Sokodé
and the border with Benin
, and flows south. Along the southern portion of the river towards its mouth, it forms the international boundary between Togo and Benin. The river drains into the Bight of Benin
through an extensive system of brackish lagoon
s and lake
s, including Lake Togo
.
Only the part of the river nearest its mouth is navigable. Most of the river's basin is cultivated
for maize
, yams
, and cassava
.
The river is dammed 160 km (99.4 mi) from its mouth by the Nangbeto hydroelectric dam, a partnership between Benin and Togo completed in 1987. Studies have reported economic benefits from the dam, including tourism and fishing in the lake behind it. The dam's construction displaced between 7,600 and 10,000 people, however, and studies indicate that it has substantially modified the ecology of the lagoon system at the river's mouth by reducing the natural seasonal fluctuations in river flow. A second dam project, Adjarala, was proposed to be built on the river between Nangbeto and the river's mouth during the 1990s, but has not been constructed.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
.
Approximately 400 km (248.5 mi) long, and draining a basin of about 20000 km² (7,722 sq mi), it rises between the town of Sokodé
Sokodé
Sokodé is the second largest city in Togo and seat of the Tchaoudjo and Centrale Region in the center of the country, north of Lomé. With a population of 86,500 , currently at around 113,000, the city is situated between the Mo and Mono rivers, and it is a commercial center for the surrounding...
and the border with Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
, and flows south. Along the southern portion of the river towards its mouth, it forms the international boundary between Togo and Benin. The river drains into the Bight of Benin
Bight of Benin
The Bight of Benin is a bight on the western African coast that extends eastward for about 400 miles from Cape St. Paul to the Nun outlet of the Niger River. To the east it is continued by the Bight of Bonny . The bight is part of the Gulf of Guinea...
through an extensive system of brackish lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s and lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, including Lake Togo
Lake Togo
Lake Togo is the largest part of a lagoon in Togo, separated from the head by a narrow coastal strip. It is shallow and a popular location for water sports. Towns on the lake's shore include Agbodrafo and Togoville. The name is derived from to, which means "water", and go, which means "edge" or...
.
Only the part of the river nearest its mouth is navigable. Most of the river's basin is cultivated
Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking...
for maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, yams
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
, and cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
.
The river is dammed 160 km (99.4 mi) from its mouth by the Nangbeto hydroelectric dam, a partnership between Benin and Togo completed in 1987. Studies have reported economic benefits from the dam, including tourism and fishing in the lake behind it. The dam's construction displaced between 7,600 and 10,000 people, however, and studies indicate that it has substantially modified the ecology of the lagoon system at the river's mouth by reducing the natural seasonal fluctuations in river flow. A second dam project, Adjarala, was proposed to be built on the river between Nangbeto and the river's mouth during the 1990s, but has not been constructed.