Effects Of Sand Mining On Shoreline Geomorphology In Ludhi-Wichlum Shoreline Of Lake Victoria From 1995-2016, Siaya County, Kenya
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Date
2018Author
Achieng’, Odhiambo Elsa
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
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One of the main activities taking place in Bondo, a sub-county in Siaya County, is sand mining which mainly takes place along the shores of Lake Victoria. Sand mining as an economic activity increased due to increasing population and the booming construction businesses, both in Kisumu and Siaya counties, and limited employment opportunities. The present research aimed at examining the effects of sand mining on shoreline geomorphology along the Ludhi-Wichlum shoreline of Lake Victoria: Siaya County, Kenya. The general hypothesis of this study was that the sand mining activities along the shoreline has severely caused enhanced erosion along the shoreline causing evident changes on the landforms along the shoreline and general movement of the shoreline landwards. Additionally, the thesis determined the major negative environmental impacts that have so far resulted from the sand mining activities along this shoreline. Onsite data relevant to the physical landforms were collected using observation and photography which are directly related to the type of resultant shoreline. A sample of 158 respondents from a total of 2290 household from the study area was used to give further information on the changes observed along the shoreline. Aerial photographs taken over a period of 21years at intervals of 10years of the Ludhi-Wichlum shoreline were layered in ArcGIS to determine linear shoreline change in the Ludhi-Wichlum shoreline and the changes in the sediment budget. The findings revealed squeezed beaches and high cliffs that have replaced the once lowland wide beaches as observed; these landforms changes have been attributed to sand mining along the shoreline by the respondents. Using percentages and averages, the data were presented in tables and charts to indicate the various environmental impacts as per the respondents revealing a higher percentage of 86% on the shoreline erosion impact. The GIS analysis clearly indicated the different movement of the shoreline over the three beaches along the shoreline with Otonglo having the highest rate of movement at -5.75m/yr, Wichlum beach -2.7m/yr and Ludhi at -0.6m/yr: the negative sign indicates the landward movement of the shoreline at the specified beach. From the rates of wave erosion obtained, it is evident that the properties along the shoreline are at risks in the near future. The study therefore recommends proper mining strategies to be used that would enable minimum erosional rates and the mining activity to be highly regulated by the authorities so as to allow for replenishments of the sand along the shoreline. The county government should also develop a policy that would make sand mining a legal activity along the shoreline that would enable them regulate mining and provide adequate time for sand replenishment.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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