This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
Published on August 1, 2019, researchers under the Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) have developed a strategy to address the degradation of major lakes in Kenya.
The strategy focuses on lakes Victoria, Nakuru, and Baringo, which are significant water sources and support a critical part of the ecosystem.
According to the ILBM, the strategy is informed by the resolution of the 11th World Lakes Conference of 2005.
Researchers have identified several factors contributing to the degradation of the lakes, including recent swelling and pollution.
Scientists are yet to provide a definitive explanation for the rising water levels in these lakes.
One researcher at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) suggested that geothermal activities, which began in 2012, may be linked to the rising water levels.
"This could be a case of tampering with nature during the extraction of geothermal [power] which begun at around 2012, a period where we started experiencing a rise in water levels," said the scientist.
The ILBM strategy has linked degradation to human activities such as mechanised farming, which has caused erosion.
"Poor land use along the lake shores has caused erosion and the rains sweep the soil into the lakes causing siltation. This has made most of the water levels in some lakes to go beyond their normal range," said ILBM National Coordinator Jackson Raini.
The swelling of the lake has also affected flamingos at Lake Nakuru National Park, making it lose its best attraction for foreigners and locals.
Scientists under ILBM have been holding a series of conferences supported by The International Lake Environment Committee (ILEC) to deliberate on matters surrounding degradation of lakes.
