Experts have called for strict measures to stop over-abstraction of water within the Ewaso Nyiro Basin.
The over-abstraction is gradually leading to the drying up of Ewaso Nyiro River, which supports over four million people and an array of wildlife. The drying up of the river downstream has caused conflicts among communities.
Speaking during a three-day walk called ‘Journey of Water', the experts said there is a need for the adoption of best practices to ensure sustainable management of the resource.
The walk started on June 6 and ended on June 8. Participants trekked more than 30km along Timau, Nanyuki and Isiolo rivers. The rivers are tributaries of the Ewaso Nyiro River, which traverses six counties in central and northern Kenya.
The walk was aimed at engaging the local communities and spreading awareness of the importance of freshwater conservation.
World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya sponsored the walk. The first edition of the walk took place in River Malewa last year.
The Ewaso Nyiro basin boasts a wide variety of wildlife and unique plant species.
During the walk, the participants noted that the rivers had major challenges.
World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya Rift Lakes programme manager Dr William Ojwang raised concerns over the abstraction points.
“Look at the massive irrigation we have witnessed today. Are they paying attention to those who are downstream?" he posed.
"There are not just communities, we have wildlife and investments. This is the concern we have, and that is why we are highlighting the challenges in this particular river because this is the situation that is common even in other rivers in the country."
Ojwang said the state of affairs will heighten conflicts that have been witnessed in the recent past where those living downstream arm themselves and come up and uproot the solar water pumps and piping systems.
Kenya National Association of Water Resources Users Associations CEO Enock Kiminta said there is a need for urgent action.
“We have good and bad practices along the basin. The major challenge I witnessed is the illegal water abstraction. I counted 16 generators abstracting water in broad daylight, pumping water from the Nanyuki River. You could observe that the water level was reducing as we went down the river. There were poor farming practices, watering plants during the day when evaporation rates are high,” Kiminta said.
Water Resources Authority coordinator Ewaso Nyiro Basin, Tomkin Odo said over-abstraction was common.
Odo said there is a need to get a win-win situation for livelihoods and conservation of water.
“Let's come together and find solutions. Isiolo is prone to flooding during rainy seasons and the water is often left to run. We need to talk to the county and national government,” he said.
Laikipia water and natural resources executive Leah Njeri said pollution may also be coming from urban centres.
She said water companies must have water harvesting structures.
Njeri said there is a need for water companies to include conservation as part of their key performance indicators.
“In future convening, agriculturalists and pastoralists are part of these engagements,’ she said.
Njeri said bamboo tree growing should be incorporated into the conservation of water sources as it helps to purify water, and can also sequester carbon.
After the walk, participants made a raft of recommendations to help protect the basin.
They said there is a need to address the issue of over-abstraction of water for agricultural purposes by promoting the adoption of best farming practices.
The experts also called for enhanced stakeholder collaborations for a more coordinated approach to integrated water resource management.
They said politicians should be involved in providing solutions to sustainable water resources management, especially knowledge sharing and capacity building for communities and other stakeholders.
“Address the issue of water quality from pollution emanating from urban areas and use of agrochemicals that seep into our water sources. Water companies need to be part of the players in the conservation of water resources. Advocate for additional KPIs for water companies,” the recommendations state.
They said there is a need to have a corresponding economic value for the amount of water used by farmers.
Other recommendations include encouraging community members to join their local Water Resources Users Association, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices to address issues such as poor irrigation methods, riparian farming and overgrazing.
The experts said there is a need to agree on the zonation of forest reserves to regulate where communities can undertake grazing.
Encourage youth leadership in water resource management, including the development of WRUAs in regions not present.
The experts said there is a need for WRUAs to be supported in water management, water testing, relocation of dumpsites (for example Timau town’s dumpsite close to the river), stop stone harvesting along riparian and raise their administrative capacity in the monitoring of catchments by having scouts.
The walk also saw participants make commitments.
The Kenya National Association of Water Resources Users Associations committed to collaborating with KFS and other stakeholders to address the issue of overgrazing and zonation of forest reserves to allow for forest regeneration.
Laikipia county promised to rehabilitate the Nanyuki River.
Those present said there is a need for awareness to be created focusing on women because agriculture is primarily done by women and they also manage household water usage.
Isiolo water and sanitation chief officer Godana Dida said water demand was increasing daily.
“We are embarking on drilling boreholes to tap groundwater, 10 boreholes every financial year starting on the financial year 2024. Our resources are stretched. Let’s use water wisely and efficiently,” he said.
Prof Japheth Onyando, an integrated water resources management expert and lecturer at Egerton University, called for coordinated conservation of both upstream and downstream.
“Water is what we call a continuing force because whenever it passes, it carries whatever it finds on the way downstream and affects the people down there. The management upstream should be linked to the management downstream,” Onyando said.
