Abstract: • The Omo-Turkana Basin has a great diversity of climate, water and land resources. The climate ranges from cool and humid in the highlands to hot and hyper-arid in the lowlands around Lake Turkana. The Ethiopian Highlands provide through the Omo-Gibe River up to 90% of Lake Turkana surface water inflow, which has an estimated average discharge of 20.5 km³/year. • The basin possesses huge potential for the development of both hydropower energy and agricultural production yet faces challenges to the sound management of natural resources. In the highlands (≥ 1200 m a.s.l.), the major challenge is loss of montane rainforest, which leads to accelerated soil erosion and higher sediment load in the rivers. In the lowlands, the expansion of irrigated land will affect the total river discharges. • Situated in a basin with no outlet, Lake Turkana is naturally alkaline and slightly saline. Any substantial decrease in its inflow will change the lake's ecological character, and if salinity exceeds a critical threshold, the artisanal fisheries could be in jeopardy. • Soil diversity has a strong influence on agricultural activities. In the highlands, Nitisols and Vertisols dominate and are extensively used for cropland, though Nitisols still support vast areas of montane rainforests. In the lowlands (< 1200 m a.s.l.), weakly developed soils occur in areas affected by both wind and water erosion. In the driest part of the lowlands, soils occur that are dominated by carbonates and salts. These lands are thus primarily used for grazing and wildlife. • Sound management of the basin's natural resources requires in the highlands promoting site-specific soil and water conservation measures. These are needed to safeguard agricultural production but also to reduce sediment loads which, if unchecked, could compromise the lifespan of the hydropower dams. In the lowlands, accurate monitoring of the irrigation water usage and of the lake's water quality is required to ensure a minimal inflow of water in Lake Turkana to avoid catastrophic salinization.
Publication Year: 2021
Publication Date: 2021-10-26
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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