Maritime affairs expert and the Blue Economy advisor to Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong’o, Dr. Said Ali Matano has called for concerted efforts aimed at preserving Lake Victoria’s ecosystem.
Matano also warned that the lake risk dying unless issues such as pollution, siltation and related activities are tackled early enough.
Speaking at the just concluded ASCA conference in Kisumu Matano pointed out that the lake has dried up three times in the last 100,000 years.
He said dredging is not a sustainable solution to siltation but proper human activities inland.
Matano noted that issues such as siltation poses a major threat to its ecosystem given that it is very shallow with a depth of about 80 meters.
The expert said this contrasts a lot with Lake Tanganyika with a depth of 1.2 kilometers, adding that the kind of scenario calls for more vigil around the lake and its ecosystem.
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“Things like source and on source pollution needs to be taken very seriously moving forward” he said.
He said the last such episode took place some 18,000 years ago saying that the pressure on the lake needs to be eased via diversification in aquaculture and other fish farming methods.
Matano further alluded that income generated from sustainable socio-economic activities taking place on, in and around the lake involves millions of people around the basin.
He said rainfall (precipitation) accounts for around 80 per cent of water in the lake with the remaining 20 per cent coming from drainage systems and rivers, saying most of the waters emanating from the catchment areas are in form of runoffs.
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“With a well-managed catchment, he said runoffs will be minimized hence reduced floods while infiltration will be increased ensuring that rivers within the catchment have a regulated water flow.” He said.
Matano disclosed that Outflow is primarily from evaporation which accounts to 76 per cent (less than precipitation) and outflow into the Nile which accounts to 24 per cent (slightly more than what comes in from rivers).
He observed that t precipitation (rainfall) is the main driver in determining the water levels in Lake Victoria.
‘As such the long rainfall spell that we have observed from late last year and this year has contributed to the drastic rise in the water levels,” he said.
By Fredrick Odiero
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