Gorgol River

The Gorgol River is a river of southern Mauritania that is a tributary of the Sénégal River. The river is formed by the confluence of the Gorgol Noir (194 km in length), with the Gorgol Blanc (345 km in length). The Gorgol joins the Sénégal River at Kaédi.[1]

The river basin plays an important in role in Mauritanian economy facilated by investment in the 1970s.[2]

The Gorgol river was a source of concern amongst environmentalists from the mid-1970s with new water damming projects on the river. In 1976, Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, a parasitic disease caused by several species of fluke of the genus Schistosoma was believed to be increasing along the river valley resulting from disastrous Sahelian drought. A report conducted between May and November 1974, revealed the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis, and the relevant species of snails. Particularly affected was the Mbout area nearest the Foum Gleita Dam. Rates of schistisomiasis were lowest in Kaédi near the confluence of the Gorgol and Senegal rivers.[3]

References
  1. SENEGAL-HYCOS: Renforcement des capacités nationales et régionales d’observation, transmission et traitement de données pour contribuer au développement durable du bassin du Fleuve Sénégal (Document de projet préliminaire) (PDF) (in French), Système Mondial d’Observation du Cycle Hydrologique (WHYCOS), 2007, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-28.
  2. Nations Encyclopedia, Retrieved June 11, 2008
  3. Jobin, William R., Negrón-Aponte, Henry and Michelson, Edward H., 1976,
    Schistosomiasis in the Gorgol Valley of Mauritania , Human Ecology Division, Puerto Rico Nuclear Center, Caparra Heights Station, Puerto Rico and Department of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, Retrieved on June 11, 2008


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