31 August 2016
Based on the information available on 31 August, OPIDIN predicts that the flood will be extremely high this year. It will most likely become the highest flood in the last 50 years. The peak of the flood will be 2 m higher, and the area being maximally inundated 2.5 times larger, than in dry years.
The water level in Mopti was already high early August, but had further increased 1.8 meter in the last four weeks to reach the extremely high level of 590 cm on 31 August. The water level reached on 31 August has never been so high on this date in recent years. One has to go back to 1964 to have a year with a similar high water level in Mopti on 31 August.
OPIDIN predicts that the water level will further increase by about one meter in Mopti in September and October. The flooding will reach its peak early November in Mopti, late November in Akka and early December in Dire. The last dozens of years, cows were allowed to cross the river at Diafarabé during the course of November. That will not be possible this year, since in November the floodplains will still be covered by water. In 2016, the floodplains will likely become available for grazing after mid-December.
