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Running head: LAKE CHAD CASESTUDY
Lake Chad Casestudy
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LAKE CHAD CASESTUDY
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Lake Chad Casestudy
Lake Chad is one of Africa’s fresh water bodies. This water resource is shared by
Chad,Nigeria,Niger and Cameroon. This important ecosystem has been experiencing degradation
because of natural factors and human activities. This research focuses on the role of human
factors in the degradation and the management plans that have been put in place to manage the
resource.The unfortunate situation at the lake has been called an ecological catastrophe by the
Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO. Some of the human factors that have contributed
towards the degradation include damming and irrigation. These two human activities have
contributed to the shrinkage of the lake. The growing number of irrigation projects have diverted
water sources from the lake, hence the massive degradation. A series of dams constructed across
rivers in Nigeria and Chad have also affected the lake because they have interruption the natural
flow of water that originally drained in Lake Chad (Kolawole,Omali&Daniel, 2012).
Livestock staging, and overgrazing, has been witnessed in the surrounding areas. There is
a lot of competition for greener pastures in the area. It is this competition for resources from the
surrounding herders (e.g. to keep them fed and healthy) and current occupants struggling to keep
their livelihood alive, that has made the lake vulnerable to further degradation. Human factors
have indirectly contributed to drastic climatic changes that have resulted in droughts and high
rates of evaporation at the lake (Kolawole,Omali&Daniel, 2012).
The increasing human population has put pressure on this natural resource. The growing
population has contributed to unsustainable exploitation and pollution of the Lake. Over 30
million people live within the water catchment area around lake Chad (Kolawole,Omali&Daniel,
2012). With this size population, the water resource is being thwarted into extinction if
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conservation measures are not implemented. The population has also resorted to intensive fishing
in the lake for survival. This overfishing is a major threat to the ecological biodiversity within
Lake Chad itself Kolawole,Omali&Daniel, 2012).
Ecological Principles Ignored In The Degradation
Disturbance Principle
According to the disturbance ecological principle, the extent and type of disturbance,
determines the characteristics of the ecosystem. In the case of lake Chad, human activities were
carried out in total disregard of the potential effects they had on the ecosystem. The population
around the lake, exploited resources and disturbed the water balance in the area, therefore
furthering the rate of the lake’s deterioration.
The landscape ecological principle was also ignored. The human activities consistently
remained constant, while failing to understand that the type of landscape characteristics in which
the lake is positioned, would have an impact on the dynamics of the ecosystem. The human
settlement in the catchment area and the growth in population occurred without keeping in mind
if the lake could supply to such a rapid increase in demand by the new size of the population
(Lemoalle,Jean-Claude,Marc& Sedick, 2012).
Natural Changes
Natural changes, such as changes in climate, exacerbated the degradation of the lake.
Climate change led to prolonged periods of drought, which in turn, caused a higher than normal
evaporation of the water. The droughts also caused overgrazing in that people traveled further
once nearby resources were deteriorated, in search of pasture for their livestock, as well as
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supple soil to plant-increasing the population in the are, which directly correlates to overgrazing.
With poor rainfall arising from natural causes, the human population pressure on the water
resources immensely, as people sought for survival using the only resource they could come, and
drawing water from it…Lake Chad. Variability in hydrological regime has also worsened the
degradation of the lake. Variability of the hydrological regime and fresh water availability
happened causing a decrease in the volume of fresh water. There were also hydrological changes
in the feeder rivers whose volume reduced. Sedimentation in rivers and other water bodies
occurred naturally and exacerbated the problem. Forces of erosion led to changes in the flow of
water into the feeder rivers hence affecting the flow of water into the lake. The invasion of the
lake with destructive species was a natural process that exacerbated the problems in the lake. The
invasion of typha grass and water hyacinth into the lake caused the death of the good species of
plants and animals. The invasive grasses caused blockage in river channels and caused changes
in the course of rivers. This consequently led to reduced volumes into the lake (Lemoalle,JeanClaude,Marc& Sedick, 2012).
The degradation in Lake Chad ecosystem has not reached a tipping point. The
biodiversity in the ecosystem can be saved from extinction through conservation measures. The
damage caused to the ecosystem can be changed in order to give the ecosystem a chance to
rejuvenate. For instance, the flow of feeder rivers can be allowed to continue smoothly in order
to allow enough volumes into the lake. Other water systems can be developed to support the
growing populations in order to prevent overstretching of the fresh water resources. Activities
such as fishing can be curtailed in the lake in order to give the ecosystem a chance to produce
more species. In essence, the biodiversity in the lake can be reproduced over time in order to
develop a new self sustaining ecosystem(Onuoha, 2009).
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Management Plan For Restoring The Ecosystem
Efforts have been made to restore the normal ecological level of the lake through inflows
from the Congo basin. This is an effort that targets to prevent the shrinkage of the lake. The
construction of multipurpose dam in Palambo region is a conservation effort that is meant to help
the population in meeting their water needs while at the same time controlling flow into the lake.
The multipurpose dam can also support other activities such as generation of hydroelectricity.
Initiatives have also been taken to allow for water transfers using inter-basin transfer scenarios.
This has proved to be economical based on the information obtained from the research projects
in the region.
Efforts have also been made to sensitize the population living in the lake Chad basin
region about sustainable use of land. For instance, initiatives have been made in the area to plant
seedlings. Such efforts have been witnessed in the Niger and Chad region of the lake.
Regeneration of degraded pastoral areas has also been done as an effort to manage the
ecosystem. The pastoral ecosystems have been planted with seedlings in order to aid in the
gradual regeneration.
Adoption of productive systems to adjust to climate change has also been initiated in the region.
This effort was done in five countries and involved redemarcation of livestock routes. This effort
was made in order to reduce the impact of livestock in the ecosystem and to ensure that the
stocks receive good environmental conditions in their transit.
Suggestions For Management Plan
Intensive Afforestation
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The communities should be involved in intensive afforestation programs in the lake basin
area. This move will ensure that the water catchment areas are rejuvenated in order to create a
sustainable source of water for the lake and the feeder rivers. Forestation in the surrounding
areas will help in improving biodiversity in the area that is threatened with human activities.
Increasing the flow of water in the rivers will be a good effort in improving river ecosystem
which will later own flow into the lake (Onuoha, 2009).
Regulation of fishing activities in the lake is of great importance in the management.
Overfishing leads to the removal of more species than required. The regulation of fishing will
give species a chance to multiply and restore the lost biodiversity. Restoration of species in the
lake will also ensure that recycling of nutrients is achieved. This can also be promoted with good
circulation of water in the lake that can be enhanced with improved river inflows into the lake.
Good water movements in the lake will promote gradual rejuvenation using the available species
and water resources. The surrounding populations should be provided with alternative economic
activities that will help in addressing poverty and at the same tim saving the aquatic species in
the lake from the threat of extinction(Onuoha, 2009).
Public awareness and education on population control will also help in reducing the
pressure on the water resources. The population in the Lake Chad basin should be educated on
family planning and the number of livestock per family. This is a move that will help in
controlling population in the area and curtailing the pressure on natural resources in the area.
Promotion of alternative and renewable sources of energy.As found out from research, the
construction of dams for electricity generation has been unsustainable because of the loss of
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water to the lake. This forms of energy can include biogas and solar energy that will reduce
reliance on electricity which strains the existing water resources.
Before proceeding with the recommendations, data on current human population will be of great
use. This will be necessary in order to determine the numbers required in activities such as
aforestation and the number of people who depend on fishing as the main economic activity.
Population control will also require current population statistics in order to provide justification
for control measures. Data on existing management projects will also be useful before
proceeding with recommendations. The data will provide critical information on what has been
achieved in the past and in the recent times in order to avoid projects that are overlapping in
terms of mandate and objectives. The data will also be useful in preventing conflict of interest
amongst the stakeholders in the management of the environmental problems in the area.
LAKE CHAD CASESTUDY
References
Kolawole,M.S A.O. Omali and A. Daniel(2012). The Review of the Rate and the Hydrological
Significance of the Fast Drying Up of Lake Chad. Research Journal of Environmental
and Earth Sciences 4(12): 1002-1010.
Lemoalle J, Jean-Claude B,Marc L, A Sedick(2012). Recent changes in Lake Chad:
Observations, simulations and management options (1973–2011) Global and Planetary
Change 80–81. 247–254
Onuoha F.C. (2009). Environmental Degradation,Livelihood and Conflictsthe Implications of
the Diminishing,Water Resources of Lake Chad for North-Eastern Nigeria. Retrieved
from http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajcr/article/viewFile/39425/59589
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