02/02/2023
Declining Water Levels on Lake Ol’ Bolossat, Nyandarua County, Kenya
Today, 2nd February 2023, is the World Wetlands Day celebration under the theme “It’s time for restoration”
As part of this commemoration, we highlight Lake Ol’bollosat’s declining water levels and the entire ecosystem under threat using geospatial technologies. Based in Nyandarua County, Lake Ol’bollosat is the only lake in Central Kenya and it forms the headwaters for the Ewaso Nyiro River, which supports the livelihoods of communities, livestock and wildlife in the dry Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo and Garissa Counties. Over the years, Lake Ol’ Bolossat has been experiencing massive shrinking as a result of human activity. As seen through this analysed satellite imagery and statistics, the current surface water extent in 2023 is approximately 450 hectares away from the gazetted 3000 hectares. The shrinkage in the surface water extent has escalated the human-wildlife conflict as wild animals, particularly hippos, lose their habitat and destroy the surrounding human settlements and croplands.
In a bid to save the lake and to restore degraded wetlands, more conservation efforts needs to be channelled towards this protected area in order for it to regain its lost glory.
More details can be found in the news briefs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS7miK2sQKI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uHRWMM19dk
