Ngounié River

The Ngounié River (also Ngunyé, French: Rivière Ngounié) is a river that flows through southwest-central Gabon. It is an important part of the country's water system and joins the Ogooué River, which is the largest river in Gabon. The Ngounié River starts in the Chaillu Mountains, near the border with Congo, and then turns northwest.

As it flows, the river passes through several towns, including Fougamou, Sindara, and Mouila. These towns rely on the river for transportation, water, and helping their crops grow. The Ngounié River is vital for both people and nature in the area, supporting many animals and plants along its path.

Etymology

The name "Ngounié" comes from a French version of the word "Ngugni." Long ago, people who spoke the Vili language used this word to describe the northern edge of their area. When explorers came to the region, they wrote the name as "Ngouyai" or "Ngunyé." Different groups in Gabon have their own names for the river. Some call it "Durembu-du-Manga," while others use "Otembo-a-Manga" or "Melembye-a-Manga." In all these names, the first part means "body of water," and "manga" refers to the small palm trees that grow along the river's banks.

Geography

The Ngounié River is the second largest tributary of the Ogooué River. It starts in the Chaillu Mountains and flows south and west for 60 kilometres (37 mi), forming a border with Congo. At the Polo River, it turns northwest, passing through three waterfalls and a long valley between the Moukande Mountains and the Massif due Chaillu. After winding for over 400 kilometres (250 mi), it joins the Ogooué River before reaching Lambaréné.

The valley of the Ngounié River lies between the forested Du Chaillu Hills and the Ikoundou Mountains, with grassy plants covering the area. Important tributaries of the Ngounié include the Louetsié, which runs through Lébamba and Mbigou; the Ikoy; and the Ogoulou, among others. One notable feature is Imperatrice Falls, also called Samba Falls or Empress Eugénie Falls, which stands about 10 metres (33 ft) high and is located near Fougamou in the Ngounié Province.

Climate

The Ngounié River area has a very wet and warm climate. Temperatures usually stay between 23–28 °C (73–82 °F). The air is often very damp, with humidity above 80%. Each year, the region gets about 2,000–2,200 millimetres (79–87 inches) of rain. The wet seasons happen from September to December and again from March to May.

Power development

The Ngounié River could be used to create electricity with a planned hydroelectric project at the Empress Eugénie Falls. This project would be a 56 MW run-of-the-river scheme with four units, each producing 14 MW of power. Two more units were planned to be added in 2015, which would bring the total power of the station to 84 MW. The project uses the main waterfall, which is about 12 metres high, and a series of rapids over a 2,000 metre stretch of the river to create a total height of 20 metres for generating power. The area has granite and gneiss rock formations.