10 Hydrology and Climate Impacts on Streamflow and Sediment …
237
6 Conclusions
The Nyando River Basin experiences significant seasonal and inter-annual variability
in both rainfall and river discharge. There has been an increase in the variability of
both rainfall and streamflow in the basin since 1970. However, it is difficult to fully
attribute this variability to climate change due to lack of long-term data. It is possible
that increased variability in streamflow is also due to increased degradation of the
catchment areas and land-use change as a result of population increase. Because
of land degradation, the basin is characterized by a relatively high sediment load.
The lower parts of the basin also experience periodic flooding that impacts the socioeconomy of local communities, including ecosystems in the basin. The overall impact
of flooding has been increased poverty among the communities living in the lower
parts of the basin. Without sustainable land management in the basin, climate change
and land degradation will continue to reduce streamflow significantly, leading to
major impacts on the livelihoods of the local communities. A comprehensive soil
and water conservation program for the entire river basin is necessary in order to
control soil erosion and reduce the high sediment load of the river.
References
Hai M, Ong C, Mungai D (2000) The impact of land use and rainfall on runoff and sedimentation in
the Lake Victoria Basin. In: Paper presented at the KL2000 UNESCO/IUFRO symposium: forest–
water–people in the humid tropics: past, present and future hydrological research for integrated
land and water management. University of Kebangsaan, Malaysia, 30 July 2000, 4 p
ICRAF (2000) Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin: linking land and lake,
research & extension, catchment & Lake Basin. First Report of Progress and Results, July 1999
to March 2000. Nairobi, ICRAF and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
ICRAF (2002) Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin, Annual Technical Report,
working paper-2, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
Kamau BK (2016) Hydrological study of Nyando river basin. Unpublished project report,
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nairobi, 87 p
Kitheka JU, Mwangi S, Mwendwa PK (2019) The effect of rainfall variability and land use/land
cover change in a small tropical river basin in Kenya. Int J Hydrol 3(1) 58–64. https://doi.org/10.
15406/ijh.2019.03.00163
KNBS (2009) Kenya population and housing census. ‘counting our people for the implementation
of vision 2030, vol 1 A
Mutua FM (2001) Report on the impacts of climate change on water resources in the Kenya
Mwendwa PK, Kitheka JU, Mwangi M, Otieno H (2019) The drivers of water abstraction and river
water diversion in tropical rivers: a case of south west upper tana basin, Kenya. Int J Hydro
3(2):149–157
Njogu IN, Kitheka JU, Otieno H (2018) Streamflow variability and sediment yield in North-West
Upper Tana basin, Kenya. Hydrol Curr Res 9(4). https://doi.org/10.4172/issn2157-7587.1000305
Omuto CT (2003) Rapid mapping of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in tropical watersheds.
MSc Thesis, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Onyango DO (2003) The influence of land use patterns on runoff and soil erosion in the River
NyandoBasin at Kobong’o area in Kenya. MSc thesis, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
237
6 Conclusions
The Nyando River Basin experiences significant seasonal and inter-annual variability
in both rainfall and river discharge. There has been an increase in the variability of
both rainfall and streamflow in the basin since 1970. However, it is difficult to fully
attribute this variability to climate change due to lack of long-term data. It is possible
that increased variability in streamflow is also due to increased degradation of the
catchment areas and land-use change as a result of population increase. Because
of land degradation, the basin is characterized by a relatively high sediment load.
The lower parts of the basin also experience periodic flooding that impacts the socioeconomy of local communities, including ecosystems in the basin. The overall impact
of flooding has been increased poverty among the communities living in the lower
parts of the basin. Without sustainable land management in the basin, climate change
and land degradation will continue to reduce streamflow significantly, leading to
major impacts on the livelihoods of the local communities. A comprehensive soil
and water conservation program for the entire river basin is necessary in order to
control soil erosion and reduce the high sediment load of the river.
References
Hai M, Ong C, Mungai D (2000) The impact of land use and rainfall on runoff and sedimentation in
the Lake Victoria Basin. In: Paper presented at the KL2000 UNESCO/IUFRO symposium: forest–
water–people in the humid tropics: past, present and future hydrological research for integrated
land and water management. University of Kebangsaan, Malaysia, 30 July 2000, 4 p
ICRAF (2000) Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin: linking land and lake,
research & extension, catchment & Lake Basin. First Report of Progress and Results, July 1999
to March 2000. Nairobi, ICRAF and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
ICRAF (2002) Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin, Annual Technical Report,
working paper-2, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
Kamau BK (2016) Hydrological study of Nyando river basin. Unpublished project report,
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nairobi, 87 p
Kitheka JU, Mwangi S, Mwendwa PK (2019) The effect of rainfall variability and land use/land
cover change in a small tropical river basin in Kenya. Int J Hydrol 3(1) 58–64. https://doi.org/10.
15406/ijh.2019.03.00163
KNBS (2009) Kenya population and housing census. ‘counting our people for the implementation
of vision 2030, vol 1 A
Mutua FM (2001) Report on the impacts of climate change on water resources in the Kenya
Mwendwa PK, Kitheka JU, Mwangi M, Otieno H (2019) The drivers of water abstraction and river
water diversion in tropical rivers: a case of south west upper tana basin, Kenya. Int J Hydro
3(2):149–157
Njogu IN, Kitheka JU, Otieno H (2018) Streamflow variability and sediment yield in North-West
Upper Tana basin, Kenya. Hydrol Curr Res 9(4). https://doi.org/10.4172/issn2157-7587.1000305
Omuto CT (2003) Rapid mapping of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in tropical watersheds.
MSc Thesis, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Onyango DO (2003) The influence of land use patterns on runoff and soil erosion in the River
NyandoBasin at Kobong’o area in Kenya. MSc thesis, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya