Spatio-Temporal Impacts of Lake Victoria Water Level Recession on the Fringing Nyando Wetland, Kenya
2018
Okotto-Okotto, Joseph | Raburu, Phillip O. | Obiero, Kevin O. | Obwoyere, Gilbert O. | Mironga, John M. | Okotto, Lorna G. | Raburu, Elizabeth A.
Nyando is the second largest and one of the most economically important wetland ecosystems fringing Lake Victoria, Kenya. Lake level fluctuations and a range of anthropogenic activities degrade its ecological integrity, reduce its area and the quality of goods and services it provides. This study investigated the impacts of spatio-temporal variations in the lake’s water levels on the wetland. Satellite images, ground truthing and semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data on land use and community perceptions respectively. Results indicate that the shoreline receded significantly (t-stat = 5.5328; p-value < 0.0052) with the wetland area decreasing by 31 % between 1984 and 2010. Lake level recession exposed 752 ha of new land at an annual rate of 29 ha/year. The vulnerability of the wetland is worsened by the majority of respondents (60 %) being unable to associate the lake level recession with the wetland degradation. Eighty-six percent cultivate the exposed land for agricultural production with only 4 % of the respondents considering the land as ecologically sensitive and thus needing conservation. Development of a comprehensive and participatory wetland management plan, diversification of agricultural and fisheries production and introduction of ecologically sensitive alternative livelihood activities are recommended to ensure sustainable management.
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