The impacts of changes in vegetation cover on dry season flows in the Kikuletwa River catchment, northern Tanzania.
| dc.contributor.author | Ambrose,Hermegast | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-06T05:10:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-10-06T05:10:46Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2006 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | While the decrease in water flows in most if not all non spring fed streams is obvious in the Kikuletwa River, Northern Tanzania; the exact mechanism leading to the decreases is somewhat unclear. The area has experienced a steady population growth, and it would seem rational to attach the decrease in the low flow to population increases and hence increase in water abstractions and withdraw. Nevertheless, the reasons may be manifold. Vegetation cover change seems to form part of such an explanation. Analysis of satellite images for 1970s to 2000 showed considerable change in land usc/cover. In 1976, the land use/cover in the area was dominated by a forest like environment where by closed forest and open forest in total covered one third (34%) of the area. In contrast, in 2000 much of the original forested areas have been cut or converted to farmlands, and thus the combined classes of closed forest and open forest occupied less than quarter (13%) of study area, which is about 68% decrease in forested cover. Analysis of low flow indices indicated no statistically significant changes in the long term average low flows. However, the study of local people perceptions confirmed declining low flows in many tributaries of Kikuletwa River. From local people perspective there has been a decrease in dry season discharge in most if not all streams of Kikuletwa River. There were no identifiable change in the rainfall amount, and the low flows could not directly be linked to water abstractions and withdraw. This study therefore associates the changes in the dry season flow to the identified land cover changes, which supports conclusiveargument that the decrease in vegetation cover affects the rate of ground recharge and consequently reduces dry season flow. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/7089 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Vegetation cover | |
| dc.subject | River catchment | |
| dc.subject | Water flows | |
| dc.subject | Water abstractions | |
| dc.title | The impacts of changes in vegetation cover on dry season flows in the Kikuletwa River catchment, northern Tanzania. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |