Abstract

Competition for access to water on hydraulic structures sometimes results on contradictory rationales of the various categories of water users. The increase in water needs has led to conflicts over the use of the resource. The dam of Salbisgo in the province of Boulkiemdé in Burkina Faso is an example of conflictual relations among the users of a hydraulic structure. This article aims at analyzing the power relations among water users over the use of the water resource of this dam. The methodology is based on secondary and primary data collected from some main users of the dam’s water and also field observations. The results reveal that, the dam’s water users have very different ways of conceiving the notion of competition for the dam’s water, depending on their residence status and their village of origin. This competition not only leads to differing perceptions of the consequences of activities on the sustainability of the dam, but also on other activities carried out. Two categories of water users are to be considered. On the one hand, the first category is made up of users aware of the real danger of their practices on the dam. On the other hand, the second category are ignorants or users in bad faith, who accuse the first category to portray themselves as ‘‘good users’’ of the dam in terms of sustainable practices for its preservation. These mutual accusations, without immediate consequences, nevertheless provide fertile ground for conflicts in the use of the dam. Efforts are being made by some actors to limit their harmful practices, while others are still perpetuating them. This could undoubtedly create internal frustrations leading inevitably to crises among the users of the hydraulic structure.