208
D. O. Olago et al.
Fig. 5 Changing resource
values and resulting
environmental state of a
hypothetical lake (from
ILEC 2007)
sudden collapse of ecosystems (ILEC 2007) that have adverse knock-on effects on
lake-dependent livelihoods.
Often, water abstractions and diversions of inflow waters for drinking, irrigation, and other uses can alter the delicate balance of lakes (Schagerl and Renaut
2016), while increasing temperatures, changing salinity, high levels of ultraviolet
B radiation, lake fragmentation and salinization of habitable sections may impact
fish (Kavembe et al. 2016) and other aquatic fauna and flora. Besides the significant
revenue generation from lake tourism, some lake microorganisms have the potential
to be used for biotechnological purposes (Shagerl and Renaut 2016). It has been
correctly noted by Harper et al. (2016) that “several of the economic values of the
saline lakes of East Africa are dependent upon their constancy, which is almost always
assumed by non-scientists (such as most tourists and journalists), but rarely observed
in reality.” Looking to the future, Oduor and Kotut (2016) note that the increase
in destructive human activities in the lakes and their catchments will lower their
resilience to climate change-driven perturbations. Consequently, it has been proposed
by various researchers, lake managers, governmental and non-governmental organizations and agencies that there is need for the different communities and interest
groups that depend upon the lakes to formulate or to improve existing management
plans to ensure their sustainable use (cf. Kiema 2013; Kavembe et al. 2016).
The monitoring of water resources has deteriorated greatly (Mogaka et al. 2005)
due to non-maintenance and vandalization of river gauging stations, making it impossible to carry out in-depth water resource analyses and planning (Nyingi et al. 2013).
Consequently, the symptoms of degradation often remain not only unknown, but
also unnoticed for a long period of time because of their incremental nature and the
D. O. Olago et al.
Fig. 5 Changing resource
values and resulting
environmental state of a
hypothetical lake (from
ILEC 2007)
sudden collapse of ecosystems (ILEC 2007) that have adverse knock-on effects on
lake-dependent livelihoods.
Often, water abstractions and diversions of inflow waters for drinking, irrigation, and other uses can alter the delicate balance of lakes (Schagerl and Renaut
2016), while increasing temperatures, changing salinity, high levels of ultraviolet
B radiation, lake fragmentation and salinization of habitable sections may impact
fish (Kavembe et al. 2016) and other aquatic fauna and flora. Besides the significant
revenue generation from lake tourism, some lake microorganisms have the potential
to be used for biotechnological purposes (Shagerl and Renaut 2016). It has been
correctly noted by Harper et al. (2016) that “several of the economic values of the
saline lakes of East Africa are dependent upon their constancy, which is almost always
assumed by non-scientists (such as most tourists and journalists), but rarely observed
in reality.” Looking to the future, Oduor and Kotut (2016) note that the increase
in destructive human activities in the lakes and their catchments will lower their
resilience to climate change-driven perturbations. Consequently, it has been proposed
by various researchers, lake managers, governmental and non-governmental organizations and agencies that there is need for the different communities and interest
groups that depend upon the lakes to formulate or to improve existing management
plans to ensure their sustainable use (cf. Kiema 2013; Kavembe et al. 2016).
The monitoring of water resources has deteriorated greatly (Mogaka et al. 2005)
due to non-maintenance and vandalization of river gauging stations, making it impossible to carry out in-depth water resource analyses and planning (Nyingi et al. 2013).
Consequently, the symptoms of degradation often remain not only unknown, but
also unnoticed for a long period of time because of their incremental nature and the