One outmoded but regularly occurring proposal which is highly questionable on both environmental and socio-economic grounds is the artificial diversion of more water to Lake Chad. This proposal is driven by the same engineering, infrastructure-oriented vision that has failed to deliver sustainable solutions in other parts of the world. The scheme envisages diverting water from the Oubangui River north to the Chari River by constructing a huge canal. This could have a serious impact on biodiversity, since species occurring in the ‘donor’ system might threaten the continued existence of species that are endemic to the Chari River.