Densu River Explained

The Densu River is a 116 km long river in Ghana rising in the Atewa Range.^[1] It flows through an economically important agricultural region, supplies half the drinking water to Ghana's capital city of Accra. The river ends in an ecologically significant wetland delta^[2] on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.^[3] The Densuano^[4] Dam and Weija Dam^[5] are situated on the Densu River.

Environment

The delta has been designated a Ramsar site as a wetland of international importance. It has also been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of non-breeding and wintering waterbirds, especially terns, including western reef egrets, spotted redshanks, and little, black, roseate, common, Sandwich and royal terns.^[6]

Threats

The population density of the Densu Basin is approximately 240 persons per square kilometre.^[7] Part of the Densu River has become a dumping site by some residents in the area, causing water pollution. Other activities include farming, sand mining and quarrying.^{[8] [9] [10]}

In popular culture

• Ghanaian artist Kojo Antwi named his second studio album, released in 2002, after the river.^[11]
• Osibisa, an Afrobeat band, composed a song titled Densu, explaining about the different varieties of fishes and the song the fishermen sing.^[12]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Protecting Atewa Forest. 2015-07-13. Ghana A Rocha. en. 2019-05-18.
2. Web site: Wetlands Habitats WWF. World Wildlife Fund. en. 2019-05-18.
3. http://www.countrystudies.us/ghana/30.htm Ghana: Rivers and Lakes
4. Web site: Densuano Street in Koforidua - Eastern Region - AfricaLocal.net. www.africalocal.net. 2019-05-18.
5. Web site: Residents stranded as Weija Dam spillage floods homes Starr Fm. Welsing. Kobina. en-US. 2019-05-18.
6. Web site: Densu Delta Ramsar Site and vicinity. . 2024. BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2024-11-16.
7. Web site: River Basin Activities. Water Resources Commission of Ghana. 2008-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20081120024134/http://www.wrc-gh.org/riverbasinactivities.html. 2008-11-20. dead.
8. Web site: River Densu chokes on dumped refuse. BusinessGhana. 2019-05-22.
9. Web site: Environment Ministry to include traditional rulers on Densu committee. www.graphic.com.gh. 2019-05-22.
10. Web site: Densu Delta Ramsar Site. Ghana-Net.com. en. 2019-05-22.
11. Web site: Densu by Kojo Antwi on Apple Music. iTunes. 2016-07-17.
12. Web site: Densu by Osibisa. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624215854/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAaGl-ZX3fw . 2021-06-24 . dead. YouTube. 2019-02-27.