Sokoto River

The Sokoto River (formerly known as Gublin Kebbi) is a river in north-west Nigeria and a tributary of the River Niger. The river's source is near Funtua in the south of Katsina State, some 275 kilometres (171 mi) in a straight line from Sokoto. It flows north-west passing Gusau in Zamfara State, where the Gusau Dam forms a reservoir that supplies the city with water. Further downstream the river enters Sokoto State where it passes by Sokoto and is joined by the Rima River, then turning south and flowing through Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State. About 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Birnin Kebbi, it reaches its confluence with the Niger River.

Map of the Sokoto River drainage basin

The plains around the river are widely cultivated and the river used as a source of irrigation. The river is also an important means of transport. The Bakolori Dam, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) upstream from Sokoto, is a major reservoir on the Sokoto River. It has had significant impact on downstream floodplain cultivation.[1]

References

1. Akané Hartenbach and Jürgen Schuol (October 2005). "Bakolori Dam and Bakolori Irrigation Project – Sokoto River, Nigeria" (PDF). Eawag aquatic research institute. Retrieved 2010-01-10.

• The Hydrology and Plankton of the River Sokoto . J. Holden, J. Green. Journal of Animal Ecology, Vol. 29, No. 1 (May, 1960), pp. 65–84.
• Isotope And Geochemical Characterization Of Surface And Subsurface Waters In The Semi-Arid Sokoto Basin, Nigeria, Adelana et al., African Journal of Science and Technology (AJST), Science and Engineering Series Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 80–89, December 2003