Kenya's Water Towers; A Scenario Scrutiny of Njoro Sub Catchment, Eastern

Abstract

The continent of Africa is endowed with natural capital and
its sustainable development is dependent on the capacity to
efficiently and sustainably manage the natural resources
especially water, land and forests for the benefit of its
population. A mountain forest plays an irreplaceable role in
water catchment, in the retention and release of water in the
hydrological cycle. The highland itself causes clouds to
form, which drop their moisture in the form of rain or mist.
A mountain forest with its numerous plant species absorbs
and retains far more water than farmland or any other form
of vegetation. Natural ecosystems such as forests, wetlands,
rivers and lakes provide a wide range of goods and services to society including food, water, energy and recreation
and can therefore they should be considered as life insurance assets. Mau water catchment is a fragile ecosystem
whose dynamics have been subjected to human interferences. The purpose of this study was to determine the cover
changes within the Njoro catchment from 1986 to 2016 and thereafter propose necessary strategies and mitigations
to prioritize interventions to check on further degradation. Desk top literature and Landsat images of 1986, 2006 and
2016 were used to analyse and determine the extent of changes in forest cover over the period of 30 years. The results
obtained from the Landsat images showed the area under forest in 1995 was approximately 10,383 Ha which reduced
over time to 6,653 Ha in 2016. In conclusion, the variability in forest cover is thought to be dependent on other
catchment factors like soil type, slope and climate variability consequently therefore there is need to evaluate and
manage land cover and land use changes for sustainable development of Njoro sub catchment of Mau towers.

Full text

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Kenya’s Water Towers; A Scenario
Scrutiny of Njoro Sub Catchment, Eastern
Mau Towers
1Ontumbi George Morara 2 Sanga Jaco Kiptoo
1(B. Ed., Msc. Ph. d on going) Senior Lecturer Ollessos Technical Training Institute
2University of Eldoret
Type of the Paper: Research Paper.
Type of Review: Peer Reviewed.
Indexed in: worldwide web.
Google Scholar Citation: IJSTER
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How to Cite this Paper:
Ontumbi, G. M., and Sanga J. K., (2018). Kenya’s Water Towers; A
Scenario Scrutiny of Njoro Sub Catchment, Eastern Mau Towers.
International Journal of Scientific and Technological Research (IJSTER), 1
(1) 6-15.

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Kenya’s Water Towers; A Scenario Scrutiny of Njoro
Sub Catchment, Eastern Mau Towers
1Ontumbi George Morara 2 Sanga Jaco Kiptoo
1(B.ed, Msc Phd on going) Senior Lecturer Ollessos Technical Training Institute
2University of Eldoret
Abstract
The continent of Africa is endowed with natural capital and
its sustainable development is dependent on the capacity to
efficiently and sustainably manage the natural resources
especially water, land and forests for the benefit of its
population. A mountain forest plays an irreplaceable role in
water catchment, in the retention and release of water in the
hydrological cycle. The highland itself causes clouds to
form, which drop their moisture in the form of rain or mist.
A mountain forest with its numerous plant species absorbs
and retains far more water than farmland or any other form
of vegetation. Natural ecosystems such as forests, wetlands,
rivers and lakes provide a wide range of goods and services to society including food, water, energy and recreation
and can therefore they should be considered as life insurance assets. Mau water catchment is a fragile ecosystem
whose dynamics have been subjected to human interferences. The purpose of this study was to determine the cover
changes within the Njoro catchment from 1986 to 2016 and thereafter propose necessary strategies and mitigations
to prioritize interventions to check on further degradation. Desk top literature and Landsat images of 1986, 2006 and
2016 were used to analyse and determine the extent of changes in forest cover over the period of 30 years. The results
obtained from the Landsat images showed the area under forest in 1995 was approximately 10,383 Ha which reduced
over time to 6,653 Ha in 2016. In conclusion, the variability in forest cover is thought to be dependent on other
catchment factors like soil type, slope and climate variability consequently therefore there is need to evaluate and
manage land cover and land use changes for sustainable development of Njoro sub catchment of Mau towers.
1.0 Background to the Study
Over the past decade and a half there has been a
quantum shift in attitudes and understanding in Kenya
about upland forests, their value, and how to protect
them to ensure sustainability of the country’s rivers.
The concern of the conservation of Kenya’s rivers has
resulted to the phrase 'water towers' which has been
coined and accepted in water catchment and
environmental conservatism. A mountain forest plays
an irreplaceable role in water catchment, retention and
release (Ministry of forest and wildlife, 2013). The
highland itself causes clouds to form, which drop their
moisture in the form of rain or mist. A mountain forest
with its numerous plant species absorbs and retains far
more water than farmland or any other form of
vegetation. The roots of the trees provide channels
down which the water flows, deep into the ground. The
soil there becomes a reservoir that sucks up water and
then releases it slowly into the water table, streams and
rivers, ensuring a steady flow throughout the year.
Destroy the forest and rain water will pour off in flash
floods, causing erosion, destroying the topsoil,
triggering landslides, and playing havoc with
agriculture. But upland forests in Kenya have been
under severe and sustained threat for years, losing
some 5,000 hectares of tree cover a year. Now finally
it has become apparent that unless drastic action is
taken, what will be lost is not just trees but animals and
biodiversity. Collectively highland forests cover about
2% of Kenya's land surface, but their value to the
country's environmental stability, economic
development and human well-being is, literally,
ARTICLE INFO
Received 14th July, 2018
Received in Revised Form 4th September, 2018
Accepted on 29th September, 2018
Published online 7th October, 2018
Keywords: Sustainable development, water catchment,
Ecosystems, Dynamics and Hydrology

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priceless. Since the late 2000s, forest conservation has
become instrumental in the achievement of new
ambitious national objectives in terms of
environmental protection in Kenya (GOK, 2010). The
formulation of environmental protection objectives
has been greatly influenced by the international
agenda on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Charline (2011) observes that the conservation of the
national water resources can also be regarded as one
of the main driver of public action in the forested areas
of the country. In the last decade, the concept of “water
tower” has been widely disseminated and accepted in
Kenya. Though many features of this concept still
need to be specified (especially regarding its territorial
extent), it has become an efficient means of
justification for public intervention in some of the
“degraded” national forests, allowing in some cases
the (controversial) eviction of population living in
forest reserves.
Population pressures, the lack of planning and the
commensurate increase in the demand for resources
have placed undue pressure in our Water Towers.
Environmental degradation and more precisely
deforestation have become a common phenomenon in
rural landscape throughout the African continent.
Between the years 1990 and 2010 Kenya lost 2.8% of
its forest cover. Forest cover is closely related to water
conservation, this ecological phenomenon becomes
clearer when forest cover is removed and its
subsequent impacts on river flow. However the Kenya
Forest Service has put a lot of effort towards achieving
a 10% forest cover as proposed in the Kenyan
Constitution and Kenya’s Vision 2030. The Mau
Forest Complex is the largest closed-canopy montane
ecosystem in Eastern Africa. However, in the recent
past, the Mau Forest Complex has undergone
significant land use changes due to increased human
population demanding land for settlement and
subsistence agriculture (Charline, 2011). The
encroachment has led to drastic and considerable land
fragmentation, deforestation of the headwater
catchments and destruction of wetlands previously
existing within the fertile upstream parts. Today, the
effects of the anthropogenic activities are slowly
taking toll as is evident from the diminishing river
discharges during periods of low flows, and
deterioration of river water qualities through pollution
from point and non-point sources (Baldyga et al.,
2007).
1.2 Statement of the problem
In Kenya, the various catchments and water towers
have been increasingly characterized by human
settlement, deforestation, wetland reclamation and
unsustainable agricultural activities as observed by
UNEP, (2006) and Aura et al., (2011). There are
various challenges posed by ever increasing
anthropogenic activities in the river catchment areas
ranging from destruction of the riparian vegetation and
catchment areas to agricultural activities, urbanization
and municipal waste. The rapid dynamics in land
use/cover occasioned by clearing of the forested land
for agricultural production and settlement in the river
catchments areas are adversely affecting the
hydrologic characteristics of the major rivers in
Kenya. The human activities near stream and water
catchment areas have been reported to cause the
degradation on stream habitat and hydrological
characteristics in Kenya. Destruction of the riparian
zones in the river catchments has rendered the
protective nature of the catchment areas ineffective or
even detrimental to the water towers in Kenya. With
the tremendous growing population and multiple
activities in the river catchments, the catchments have
been rendered environmentally unstable. Therefore
these unabated activities in the water towers
necessitate the interrogation of past studies and
surveys on the scenario and the degradation levels.
1.3 Study Objectives
i. To assess the land use /land cover
modifications in the Njoro River catchment
between 1996 and 2016.
ii. Propose necessary information to prioritize
interventions towards addressing further
degradation of the Njoro catchment.
1.4 Scope
Njoro sub catchment is located in Eastern Mau is in
the Rift Valley Province of Kenya and lies between
Njoro plains and the upper slopes of the Mau hills. The
area is drained mainly by rivers Njoro and Lamriak
which originate from Eastern Mau escarpment and
empty into Lake Nakuru. This study targeted desktop
literature review on scenario scrutiny of the Mau forest
water tower and remotely sensed data of the Njoro sub
catchment and focused on the various human activities
and land cover contributing to the deterioration of the
water catchments with emphasis to: deforestation,
agriculture, rural and urban settlements as main land
use activities.

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1.5 Justification
The water scarcity and consequently water crisis in
Kenya can be attributed to the degradation of the water
towers. This study would form the broad framework
aimed at sustainable development and proper
management of the catchments and the River basins in
Kenya with the emphasis on environmental
conservation as demonstrated by the establishment of
National Environmental Action Plan and National
Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). The
sustainability in development will consequently
enhance proper long term management of the Kenya’s
River catchments and seek to provide solutions to the
problems of the water scarcity in Kenya. The findings
from this study will guide the authorities in
environment management on the venerable areas
within the water towers and therefore create awareness
among the inhabitants on the effects of the various
activities on water resources and therefore become
useful for decision making and policy interventions
with regard to water resource management.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Mau Forest Complex
Deforestation of montane woodlands in Kenya
threatens Kenyan social, agricultural systems and the
native ecosystems as observed by Maathai (2010).
Indigenous plant loss reduces forest ecosystems’
capacities for rainwater conservation, eroding
valuable topsoil and desiccating rivers. Detriments to
agriculture are exacerbated by the clear-cutting of
forests and establishment of exotic tree monocultures
for commercial timber production. The Kenyan
shamba system, an arrangement allowing local
farmers to grow crops while tending to exotic tree
saplings on commercial or state-owned land, has long
been supported as a solution to deforestation and an
aid to subsistence agriculturalists. Yet closer
examination reveals that the shamba system has
endangered the indigenous forests in Kenya by
alienating local interests from those of the
environment, thereby promoting environmental
degradation. Although dependence upon native plant
species for food and medicine once aligned the
interests of indigenous farmers with those of forest
ecosystems, imposition of the shamba system upset
traditional customs of land appropriation, alienating
Kenyans from the land on which they relied. The
system opposes the practices by which indigenous
populations sustain themselves and practices that
support forest preservation, as it incentivizes farmers
to clear native vegetation and to actively hinder the
growth of plantation saplings.
The Mau Forest Complex (MFC) is one of the
important sources of water in the Rift Valley and the
Western parts of Kenya. The Mau Forest Complex
forms the upper catchments of majority of the main
Kenyan rivers west of the Rift Valley. MFC is one of
the most important sources of water in Kenya
providing water for multiple uses to millions of people
in both Rift Valley and Lake Victoria drainage basins
(UNEP/GOK, 2008). The Mau Forest Complex is
dissected by numerous rivers, river tributaries, and
streams which form at least a part of the twelve main
rivers whose sources are found within this forest
complex and flow into three of Kenya’s six main
drainage basins, the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria North,
and Lake Victoria South.
The Mau Complex is the largest remaining closed
canopy forest block in Eastern Africa covering an area
of about 400,000 ha. It forms the upper catchments of
all, but one, rivers that drain west of the Rift Valley,
including Nzoia, Yala, Nyando, Sondu and Mara,
which drain into Lake Victoria. It is also the main
catchment of critical lakes and wetlands in the Rift
Valley, including lakes Baringo, Nakuru, Naivasha,
Natron and Turkana. The forests of the Mau Complex
are also very rich in flora and fauna. The Mau Forest
Complex is one of the five water towers in Kenya,
providing the upper catchments of many major rivers,
including Nzoia, Yala, Nyando, Sondu, Mara, Kerio,
Molo, Ewaso Ngiro, Njoro, Nderit, Makalia, and
Naishi (Republic of Kenya, 2009). These rivers in turn
feed major lakes, including Natron, Victoria, Turkana,
Baringo and Nakuru
Human-induced disturbances due to land use activities
have the greatest potential for introducing enduring
changes to the ecological structure and functions of
watersheds. Over the years, degradation of water
resources within the River Njoro watershed has
occurred due to a number of factors. High population
growth rate and the associated change in land use have
placed high demands on the watershed resources,
thereby upsetting environmental stability as observed
by Shivoga et al., (2005). This has impacted
negatively on the ecological integrity and hydrologic
processes in the River Njoro watershed (Mathooko,
2001). The sprawl patterns of human settlements and
land use change have been implicated as the primary
causes of deteriorating health of the River Njoro
watershed. Land cover classification using Landsat
images (Baldyga et al., 2004) showed loss of about

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20% in both indigenous and plantation forest between
1986 and 2003 in the upper River Njoro Watershed.
2.2 Importance of Water Towers
At a time when the world is confronted by climate
change, forest cover can help to mitigate the effects of
droughts and floods. Forests trap, store and slowly
release rain water, the life blood of the economy. They
support agriculture, fisheries, electricity production
and urban and industrial development. Forests also
produce wood and medicines, moderate climate,
reduce erosion, shelter a disproportionate share of
Kenya’s biodiversity, and have religious and cultural
significance (GoK, 2013). The water towers in Kenya
form the upper catchments of all the main rivers. The
“water towers” provide water to all installed hydro-
power plants, producing some 70 percent of Kenya’s
electricity output. These montane forests are also
surrounded by the most densely populated areas of
Kenya, because they provide enough water for
intensive agriculture and urban settlements.
3.0 Materials and methods
3.1 Land use and land cover changes analysis
Satellite images were analysed in conjunction with
ground truthing observations as proposed by
Chakraborty & Chandrasekharan (2001). Using a
Global Positioning System (GPS), points
corresponding to the various land uses and land cover
forms where recorded as forest, agriculture, grassland,
settlement and commercial. Remotely sensed data and
ground survey methods were used to evaluate the land
cover /land use change in the study area. A
combination of fine, medium and coarse resolution
images from different platforms were used to detect
changes. Land use and land cover maps were
developed from the satellite images through defining
spectral classes by clustering image data and assigning
pixels into classes.
3.2 interventions towards addressing further
degradation of the Njoro catchment
This study targeted desktop literature review and
recommendations of the earlier researches on the
larger Mau forest catchment. The analysis will focus
on the various human activities and land cover
contributing to the deterioration of the water
catchments.
4.0 Results Scenario Analysis
4.1 Impacts of Land use cover change
The use of remotely sensed data showed that river
Njoro catchment has had a significant change in land
use cover over the last 20 years. The results of the
lands at image and analysis are presented in figures 1,
2 3 and table 1. The results of the land sat images
analysis depicted an increase in the area under
agricultural activities, residential and commercial
settlement while there was gradual decrease in the area
under forests and shrub land. This scenario is well
demonstrated in deforestation, land fragmentation,
cultivation of wetlands and rapid increase in human
settlements. As land use changes from forest to rural
built-up lands, urban lands and subsistence
agriculture, surface runoff increases while surface and
groundwater quantity will reduce. The effect is
manifested in reduced natural recharge, reduced
stream flow and elimination of wet lands. Currently,
there is a steady recognition that surface and
groundwater sources are declining. River Njoro no
longer flows throughout the year. Boreholes are drying
up. Consequently there is a like hood of a reduction in
the water quantity in Lake Nakuru would be blamed
on deforestation in the Mau range which is the source
of rivers Njoro.

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Figure 1: Land use/land cover of River Njoro catchment in 1996 (Author)

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Figure 2: Land use/land cover of River Njoro catchment in 2006 (Author)
Figure 3: Land use/land cover of River Njoro catchment in 2016 (Author)

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Table 1: LAND USE/LAND COVER CHANGES IN THE RIVER NJORO CATCHMENT
LAND USE/COVER CLASSES
1995
2008
2016
FOREST
10158.04
9686.41
7052.85
AGRICULTURE
8595.43
9005.23
8660.17
RESIDENTIAL
3136.1
3460.05
5771.55
COMMERCIAL
1545.21
1618.65
2673.57
SHRUBLAND
2492.33
2129.04
1771.46
WATER
1026.27
1054
1023.78
TOTAL
26953.38
26953.38
26953.38
Plate 1; Charcoal burning
Plate 2; Encroachment into the forested area

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Interventions to water catchment degradation
The Kenya Government should develop guidelines to
integrate environmental concerns into agriculture
development projects in relation to management of
water catchment, forests and wildlife conservation.
Additionally, roles and functions at different levels
should be enhanced through decentralization of
decision making by adopting three water resources
management levels (including National Basin and
Sub-basin/catchment levels) and setting up
appropriate institutions clearly defining the role of
each and how they relate to each other.
Kenya’s water towers are generally considered as
indigenous forest. ; however, the buffer zones may be
extended depending on the needs as may be deemed
necessary for appropriate implementation of the
management plan. Within the buffer zones, KWS and
KFS work collaboratively with institutions mandated
to prepare physical development plans and participate
in activities to support the communities. Finally The
Kenya Forest Service should embrace participatory
forest management as the mechanism of involvement
of communities in forest management and preparing
all management plans to ensure that the stakeholders
accept the plan and participate actively in its
implementation in the spirit of water catchment
protection.
In checking further catchment degradation there is
need to initiate and adopt the pluralistic customary and
stakeholder views on resource management. In this
case emphasis will be placed on educating the
communities living along River Njoro who belong to
different cultural backgrounds to appreciate the need
for forest and subsequently catchment conservation.
The different communities have different histories of
settlement in the watershed. Starting at the top, in the
upper indigenous forested zone are the Ogiek people,
who are traditionally hunters and gatherers but have
recently begun to settle the land adjacent to forests.
Newly arrived and settled Kalenjin groups are mixing
with Ogiek in the upper two zones. In the lower zone
and before the river enter into the lake are mixed
groups of people from different parts of Kenya, some
living in urban centers and owning farms along the
River Njoro. Each of these groups has diverse
livelihood interests and activities and a different
historical attachment to the land. Some are more
interested in pastoralism, while others are a mixture of
agriculture and livestock, while others have
predominantly urban lifestyles. In all these cases,
either directly or indirectly, they depend on the natural
resource base, in particular, on water and riparian
resources in the public domain in the River Njoro
watershed. Each of these stakeholders applies their
own cultural values and experiences in the way they
view River Njoro water and riparian resources and
therefore need to diversify education on conservation
and management of the Njoro water catchment.
Conclusions
The 2003-2007 economic recovery strategy paper
recognizes that Kenya faces serious environmental
challenges due to previous forest mismanagement, and
that deforestation is a key symptom of environmental
damage. Kenya’s civil society now also has a strong
voice, willing to challenge poor environmental
governance. The 2003 –2005 forest cover change
analysis findings reveal that Mau forests continue to
be destroyed at an alarming rate. About 9,813 hectares
(9,295.72 hectares indigenous forest and 517.87
hectares plantation forests) were cleared, compared to
7,084.24 hectares (most of it plantation) between 2000
and 2003. The Mau Complex forests therefore clearly
justify an ecosystem that requires urgent attention to
curb rampant destruction of indigenous forest (Kundu
et al., 2004). The continued destruction of the Mau
forests threatens the livelihood of many people. Most
of the loss is attributed to continued irrational
settlement of people within Mau in areas including
those which are prone to erosion and unsuitable for
agriculture.
The water towers west of the Rift Valley have started
to show remarkable recovery as evidenced by stable
forest covers , levels of river flow and the surging of
Rift Valley lakes. The continued destruction of
Kenya’s water towers is spelling doom to the present
and future generations and in essence therefore
threatening the livelihood nation. The water towers in
Kenya have to be accorded an ornamental attachment.
Therefore the continued and irrational settlement of
people within the water catchment areas has to be
addressed with urgency by all and sundry. Land use
and development activities in the water towers and
catchments in Kenya should put into consideration the
ecological integrity and environmental consequences
therefore there is need for Environmental Impact
Assessment for all new developments including
settlement, farming, industries and urban development
in the water towers in Kenya.
In the River Sosiani catchment, there were several
human activities that were identified; including
forestry, crop and livestock rearing, Settlement and

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urbanization (Ontumbi and Sang, 2017 and Aura et al.
(2011).
Conclusively in the words of Prof Wangari Maathai,
“I have been trying to convince others in government
and in the community that we need to stop cutting or
cultivating crops in our indigenous forests. When the
forests are cleared, rivers and streams dry up,
biodiversity is lost, and rainfall becomes erratic. This
threatens farmers’ livelihoods and has negative
impacts on other species as habitats and the water
catchment areas are lost.” Further Prof. Maathai
asserted, “I keep telling people, let us not cut trees
irresponsibly...especially the forested mountains.
Because if you destroy the forests, the rivers will stop
flowing and the rains will become irregular and the
crops will fail and you will die of hunger and
starvation. Now the problem is, people don't make
those linkages” (The Green Belt Movement
Watershed Workshop).
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