The document discusses environmental degradation within the Lake Naivasha basin in Kenya. Lake Naivasha provides habitat for wildlife but has undergone rapid land use changes. This has led to increased demand for scarce resources like water and land. Unless mitigation measures are put in place, environmental degradation is likely to increase due to rapid population growth. While flower growing companies and other water users impact the basin, they may lack scientific information to make informed decisions about sustainable resource management. The document calls for stakeholder involvement to address water scarcity issues and prevent potentially dire human consequences.

1. Environmental Degradation Within Lake Naivasha Basin Kenya
Presented by Godfrey, O. Onyango
Environmental Science
Egerton University
2010
Kenya

2. Location of Kenya in Africa

3. Location of National Parks/Masaai people

4. Kenya is rich in Biodiversity/wildlife

5.  Lake Naivasha is a fresh water lake in Kenya
 Provides habitat to a variety of wildlife
 Plays a very important role in national development
 Lake Naivasha basin has undergone rapid land use transformations
 There is increased demand for the scarce environmental resources and
services, especially water and land
 Rapid population growth
 Likelihood of increased environmental degradation is certain unless mitigation
measures are put in place.
 What is not immediately clear is whether or not the water users such as flower
growing companies are aware of the environmental consequences of their
actions.
 Or could it be that they lack essential scientific information on the basis of
which they could make more informed decisions on management of the basin’s
resources.
Background of Lake Naivasha

6. Expansion without infrastructure

7. Ground water

8. Environmental degradation
Malewa River

9. Best management practices

10. Background cont’d
 Rampant discharge of raw sewage into the Lake
 Number of bird and fish species found on the lake has been declining
 Inappropriate fishing practices using undersize nets, fishing in non fishing
zone, and unlicensed fish men/boats
 Another problem is geothermal energy production in Olkaria
 The quantity of data and research on Lake Naivasha and its drainage is
overwhelming (Robert et al 2006).
 Despite all these, environmental degradation is still a threat
 Utilization of the environmental scientific information may be achieved by
carrying out stakeholder analysis, determining their environmental scientific
information needs, and coming up with appropriate ways to disseminate
environmental scientific information to the stakeholders and methods to
develop stakeholder advisory board

11. Consequences
Managing Lake Naivasha
outside of the natural
variability will result in
water scarcity with
potentially dire
consequences for humans
dependent on this vital
source of water. It call for
involvement of all
stakeholders.