Resolving the potential of groundwater in the Upper Great Ruaha River Catchment of Tanzania
| dc.contributor.author | Mosha D.B. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gudaga J.L. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gama D. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kashaigili J.J. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-11T05:17:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-11T05:17:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022 | |
| dc.description | Book Chapter 15, pp. 275-294 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Globally, the use of groundwater has been growing rapidly, especially in low-income countries, where a range of factors including urbanization, industrialization, land-use changes, and population growth are putting pressure on water provision from surface waters, especially in drylands (Gronwall and Oduro-Kwarteng, 2018). Groundwater is typically viewed as a more resilient water supply option to surface water options for household supply (MacAllister et al., 2020). The population of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is projected to increase to between 1.5 and 2 billion with approximately 50% of the population living in urban areas by 2050 (Gronwall and Oduro-Kwarteng, 2018). This rising population will require safe drinking water, and water for irrigation to enhance food security (Osborn et al., 2015). Changing climates including rising incidences of drought, higher temperatures, and changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme events accentuate water supply challenges in Africa (Mwakalila, 2014; Sappa et al., 2015). In the Upper Great Ruaha River Catchment (UGRRC) of Tanzania, for instance, it is suspected that river flow has been diminishing while the demand for irrigation water has increased (Mwakalila, 2011). Securing access to sufficient surface water is a growing challenge in this semiarid catchment. Groundwater is increasingly considered as the most viable solution to sustain irrigation (Taylor et al., 2019). Groundwater, in principle, holds particular benefits including drought resilience and ubiquity as its widespread availability provides a buffer against climate variability (MacDonald et al., 2012; Taylor et al., 2013a). Here, we examine the role of groundwater as a freshwater source to sustain livelihoods in the UGRRC (Figure 15.1). Privately owned shallow wells and hand-dug wells have become the fastest-growing source of freshwater in the Usangu Plains | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7747 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | CRC Press / Balkema, part of Taylor & Francis Group | |
| dc.subject | Groundwater | |
| dc.subject | Upper Great Ruaha River Catchment | |
| dc.subject | Urbanization | |
| dc.subject | Industrialization | |
| dc.subject | Land-use changes | |
| dc.subject | Tanzania | |
| dc.title | Resolving the potential of groundwater in the Upper Great Ruaha River Catchment of Tanzania | |
| dc.type | Book chapter |