Obudu Dam
{{Infobox dam
| name = Obudu Dam
| image =
| image_caption =
| name_official =
| dam_crosses = Abeb River
| location = Cross River State, Nigeria
| dam_type =
| dam_length = 425 m
| dam_height = 15 m
| dam_width_base =
| spillway_type =
| spillway_capacity =
| construction_began =
| opening = 1999
| cost =
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| res_name =
| res_capacity_total = 4.2 million m3
| res_catchment =
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| coordinates = {{coord|06|36|52|N|09|10|15|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
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The Obudu Dam is in Obudu local government area of Cross River State in the south east of Nigeria. It is an earth-fill structure with a height of 15 m and a total crest length of 425 m, and has a capacity of 4.2 million m3.{{Cite FTP |url=ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/AGLW/ROPISIN/ROPISINreport.pdf
|title=Review of The Public Sector Irrigation in Nigeria
|date=September 2004
|author=Enplan Group
|server=Federal Ministry of Water Resources
|url-status=dead
|access-date=2017-11-05 }}
The dam is located within the Obudu crystalline basement plateau, a low-lying undulating region of low seismic activity.{{cite journal
|url=http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3194854
|title=Geotechnical characterisation of Obudu damsite, Obudu, south-eastern Nigeria
|author1=ESU E.O. |author2=OKEREKE C.S. |author3=EDET A.E. |author4=OKWUEZE E.E. |journal=Engineering Geology
|issn=0013-7952
|date=1996
|volume= 42
|issue=4
|pages=285–299
|publisher=Elsevier, Kidlington
|doi=10.1016/0013-7952(95)00090-9
|accessdate=2010-05-21|url-access=subscription
}}
The dam was commissioned in 1999 for use in farm irrigation, fishing, and also for recreational and tourism purposes.{{cite web
|url=http://www.credcentre.org/Publications/Dams_are_unrenewable.pdf
|title=DAMS ARE UNRENEWABLE A Discussion Paper
|author=Etiosa Uyigue
|date=March 2006
|publisher=Community Research and Development Centre
|accessdate=2010-05-21}}
In September 2000, the paramount ruler of Obudu local government area, Uti Agba, promised that his community would protect the facilities installed at the dam.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200009220056.html
|title=Obudu Community Promises Protection for Dam
|work=Vanguard
|date=22 September 2000
|accessdate=2010-05-21}}
A massive rainstorm in July 2003, combined with release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, damaged the spillway and caused flooding that destroyed over 200 houses. The estimated cost of repairing the damage and also completing the irrigation works was estimated at N350 million.
A 2004 safety review reported that immediate work was required to restore the spillway, at an estimated cost of N272 million.
In July 2009, the Federal government issued a tender for engineering supervision of remedial work on the dam including refurbishing or replacing hydro-mechanical parts, electrical installation and civil engineering infrastructure.{{cite web
|url=http://www.confabee.com/confabee/tenders-bids-nigeria/page/109/
|title=REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR ENGINEERING SUPERVISION OF ORUPU DAM REMEDIAL WORMS
|date=3 July 2009
|publisher=FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES
|accessdate=2010-05-21}}
The dam has reduced downstream water volumes in Obudu town, causing acute scarcity of drinking water in the dry season.{{citation
|url=http://www.cen-rce.org/fre/projects/ace/agnes_presentation.pdf
|url-status=dead
|title=Who Should Govern Our Watersheds: A Case Study from Northern Cross River State, Nigeria
|author=Agnes Ingwu
|publisher=Canadian Environmental Network
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302125158/http://www.cen-rce.org/fre/projects/ace/agnes_presentation.pdf
|archive-date=2012-03-02
|access-date=2017-11-05 }}