Water quality and ecosystem status

Abstract

The Water quality and Ecosystem Management Components of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP) in the three riparian countries (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) have made considerable progress towards understanding Lake Victoria water quality and its ecosystem as well as effects of resource utilization and exploitation on the lake and in its catchment. In order to achieve LVEMP objectives and Water Quality and Ecosystem Management objectives, in particular, a well-coordinated analysis, synthesis and interpretation of all relevant data was required. This report documents and explains the changes that have taken place over the recent decades, and provides an overview of the present water quality status of the lake as well as identifying past changes and continuing trends that may require remedial action. The report provides detailed information and spatial resolution at the regional scale to support environmental decision making in regards to possible remediation of undesirable changes that have reduced beneficial uses of Lake Victoria biological and water resources. This regional synthesis report was written by regional scientists and technical experts under the guidance of an international consultant, Prof. Robert Hecky of the University of Waterloo, Canada, together with the National consultants; Dr. Joseph Abuodha of the Maseno University, Prof. Fredrick Mwanuzi of the University of Dar es Salaam and Dr. Fredrick Muyodi of Makerere University. It brings together data, interpretations and recommendations from three national water quality reports. A number of national and regional working sessions were conducted to enable the scientists to complete these reports, and all these were facilitated by the National Executive Secretariats of LVEMP who were supportive through out the process