Assessing The Water Quantity And Quality In The Upper Tana Catchment Of Kenya

The overall objective of this research was to assess water quantity and quality in the Upper Tana Catchment and the extent to which the Upper Tana Natural Resources Management Project (UTaNRMP) project interventions have contributed to sustainable natural resource management of the beneficiary communities.

The Upper Tana catchment has been experiencing a drastic reduction of surface water availability especially during the dry season, which is a manifestation of high runoff rates and decreasing groundwater recharge (UTaNRMP Baseline Survey, 2014). Also, the catchment generally receives high precipitation in the upper recharge area but floods account for over 70% of the total flow, so most of this water is not available for use. The current patterns of river flow and water management leave very little scope for further development of surface water resources for economic activities. Therefore this study is aimed at assessing the activities of the Upper Tana Natural Resource Management Project (UTaNRMP) in promoting the water resources quality and quantity in the project area thereby resulting in sustainable management of the water resources.