Review of Water Resource Exploitation and Landuse Pressure in the Pangani River Basin
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Date
2007
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
WIOMSA
Abstract
The Pangani River Basin, with a total area of 43,000 km2 is one of the most important
of Tanzania’s river basins. Water and arable land are the most important resources. The water
balance in the Basin is estimated at about 900 million m3 per annum. The increasing water
demands to meet various socio-economic needs are placing the basin under critical water stress.
Irrigation abstraction and evaporative losses at the Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir are the major
contributor to the observed water stress in the basin. Deforestation on the highlands and the use
of traditional and environmentally unfriendly agricultural practices also have direct impacts on
the water retention capability and may significantly contribute to the observed water stress in
the basin. In addition, changes in climate regime, due to increasing temperature and reduced
rainfall conditions, contribute to the reduced water supply. This coupled with the land degradation
problems, has multiple effects on the coastal environments. Management options, using the
limited water and land resources more innovatively and sustainably, have been suggested. These
options include: 1- reforming the current water rights allocation system, 2- looking for longterm
strategies for improving irrigation efficiency, 3- further promotion of innovative agricultural
methods and 4- application of modern innovative techniques of water storage such as Aquifer
Storage and Recovery (ASR) in preference to surface water storage systems.
Description
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/wiojms/article/view/28510
Keywords
Pangani river basin, Water resource, Land use, Anthropogenic, Tanzania
Citation
Shaghude, Y.W., 2007. Review of water resource exploitation and landuse pressure in the Pangani River Basin. Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, 5(2), pp.195-208.