- Laikipia County’s adoption of the Netherlands’ Slamdam technology has successfully mitigated the impact of ongoing heavy rains, preventing floods in vulnerable areas
- This innovative system, which uses water-filled synthetic tubes as barriers, has allowed the county to collect and store over 500,000 liters of water for irrigation
- Laikipia is the first county in Kenya to implement this technology
A new flood control technology adopted by the Laikipia County Government has proven to be a game-changer, sparing flood-prone areas from the devastating effects of ongoing heavy rainfall.
The innovative Slamdam technology, borrowed from the Netherlands, employs synthetic tubes filled with water to serve as barriers against floodwaters.
These mobile flood barriers, also used as water reservoirs, have previously been implemented in Nigeria and Burundi to harvest floodwaters for irrigation during dry seasons.
Laikipia is the first county in Kenya to implement this technology.
The system was demonstrated in Kiambu and Isiolo counties late last year, setting the stage for its deployment in Laikipia.
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Governor Joshua Irungu, who officiated the installation of the slamdams at Wiyumiririe village in Laikipia North and Rumuruti Town earlier this year, highlighted the technology’s impact.
Nation Africa reported that James Mwangi, a water expert with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), provided further insights into the technology’s capabilities.
“One slamdam, measuring one meter in height, can hold 8,000 liters of water.
We installed a total of 80 slamdams ahead of the March-May rainy season,” Mwangi explained.
This deployment has had a significant impact on local communities.Margret, a local hotel operator, praised the technology for protecting her business from river flooding for the first time in over a decade.
“The movable water barriers have been a timely intervention, allowing us to continue our business amid heavy downpours,” she said.
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In Chumvi, the Matangi Dam, constructed by the Laikipia County Government a few years ago, experienced an overflow that formed a wide river.
However, the deployment of 50 slamdams with a combined length of 250 meters ensured the safety of 30 households downstream.
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“The dam is still full, and with heavy rains continuing in parts of Timau and its environs, the danger of flooding has been mitigated thanks to the slamdams,” noted Mwangi.
Mwangi also called on other county governments to adopt this technology to manage floodwaters effectively.
“We can fortify our resilience against such disasters and unlock the potential of leveraging floodwaters as a valuable resource,” he said.
