The Tana River in Kenya

The Tana River in Kenya Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency describes the importance of the Tana River, Kenya’s longest river.

The Tana River flows across 1,000 kilometers from the Aberdare Mountains to the Indian Ocean.

According to ESA, the river is known for its extraordinary biodiversity, as it provides water and life for wild animals, nomads and their livestock, as well as for agricultural purposes. A series of hydroelectric dams has been constructed along the river. These include the Masinga Dam, the Kamburu Dam, the Gitaru Dam, the Kindaruma Dam and the Kiambere Dam. en The Masinga Reservoir and the Kiambere Reservoir, created by the Masinga and Kiambere dams respectively. The Tana River in Kenya also has a large area across Kenya that helps small communities around the river to obtain water for themselves.  A series of hydroelectric dams (the Seven Forks Hydro Stations or the Seven Forks Scheme) has been constructed along the river.

Video Credit: ESA Many people believe this river has groundwater underneath it, but it doesn’t. The electricity is then supplied to the national grid system and distributed countrywide through a series of substations, transformers and cables. 

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer