North Rift stares at water crisis as major sources dry up
What you need to know:
The only sign that the land was once a lake are traces of some aquatic plants.
When our team toured the reserve with an area of 87.7 Km2 on Sunday, thousands of livestock were grazing in the open field.
Kerio River, which passes though the reserve has also dried up due to the long dry spell.
Water crisis is looming in parts of North Rift after major water sources in the area dried up following the persistent dry spell being experienced in the region threatening the lives of thousands of people.
A spot check by the Daily Nation revealed that many water sources which were a lifeline to many people have dried up or are on the verge of drying up which has partly been blamed on rampant human activities like charcoal burning and farming upstream.
In Baringo County for instance, the famous Lake Kamnarok Game Reserve is now a shell of its former self.
The oxbow lake in Kerio Valley once prided itself as the second largest ecosystem in Africa with the biggest number of mammals in one ecosystem after Lake Chad with a population of more than 10,000 crocodiles, 400 elephants, 13 species of other mammals and a variety of birds of rare species.
Following rampant human activities like wanton cutting down of trees for charcoal burning and farming activities, the lake which was gazetted as a reserve in 1983 is now a bare land.
AQUATIC PLANTS
The only sign that the land was once a lake are traces of some aquatic plants.
When our team toured the reserve with an area of 87.7 Km2 on Sunday, thousands of livestock were grazing in the open field.
A row has been brewing over the years between more than 3,000 residents bordering the reserve and the defunct Baringo County council and the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) with the locals vowing not to move out of the reserve until they are given alternative land.
Seven sub-locations in Baringo North Sub-County including Muchukwo, Katibel, Keturwo, Konoo, Barwessa, Kaptilomwo and Kuikui fall inside the reserve.
DRILL BOREHOLES
“If reviving the lost glory of the reserve should be realised, KWS should also drill boreholes outside the reserve for use by the community as it will curb human wildlife conflict,” said Mr Kiprop Cheboi, resident.
Residents dismissed claims that they were responsible for the degradation of the reserve saying that farming activities on Tugen Hills was to blame as it has led to the silting of the lake as all the soils are blown downstream.
Kerio River, which passes though the reserve has also dried up due to the long dry spell.
According to Baringo County Kenya Wildlife Service Warden Dickson Too, human activity is to blame for the drying up of the lake.
“The lake is drying up due to drought occasioned by destruction of the environment. Tree felling and charcoal burning has led to erosion,” Mr Too said.
