Settlement Schemes and Their Implication on Eastern Mau Watershed, Nakuru County, Kenya

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorSammy Letemaen_US
dc.contributor.authorCherotich, Fredah
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-07T12:22:51Z
dc.date.available2022-09-07T12:22:51Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.descriptionA Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Degree of Master of Environmental Planning and Management in the School of Architecture and the Built Environment of Kenyatta University, May 2022en_US
dc.description.abstractSettlement schemes are aimed at settling landless people and those displaced by disasters to support socio-economic and environmental development of a country. Eastern Mau Forest Reserve is an important watershed that has settlement schemes established, which has led to encroachments and degradation of the watershed. This study, therefore, assessed the implications of human settlements on Eastern Mau watershed by examining the trends in land use/cover change, settlement schemes and river flows for four decades, from 1979 to 2020. Eastern Mau Forest Reserve is a major water tower therefore the large tracts of land that have been cleared coupled with the settlements in it is a worrying trend. It is essential to develop an approach that will aid in assessing land use land cover changes and effects on hydrological components at catchment level to aid in planning, use and management of resources. Primary data was collected from key informant interviews based on purposive sampling. Secondary data was derived from Landsat satellite images over a 10-year period and analysed using Maximum Likelihood Function from ArcGIS. Data on river flows from River Njoro was obtained from Water Resources Authority Office in Nakuru County for 1979-2020. Rainfall data for 1979-2020 was obtained from Kenya Meteorological Station, Nakuru Town. Time series analysis is used to understand the trend in river flows over time while Pearson correlation is used to determine relationship between farmlands and river flows. The results indicate a sharp decline in forest cover by 42.7% and an increase in farmlands by 41%. Dense vegetation and farmlands have an inverse relationship as an increase in farmlands lead to a decrease in forest cover and vice versa. People have settled beyond the established settlement schemes leading to encroachment and drying up of some rivers. There is also an increase in rainfall and river flows over the years, with monthly river flows increasing in peak flows and declining during low seasons. There is a positive correlation between farmlands and river flows between 1989 and 2020. Settlements affect land cover that in turn affects forests and impacts capacity of land to absorb rainfall water, which leads to higher runoff and subsequently higher flows. There is need for regeneration of encroached areas and defining boundary of Eastern Mau to allow initiatives and interventions that help with sustainable management of the watershed area.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipKenyatta Universityen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/24153
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherKenyatta Universityen_US
dc.subjectSettlement Schemesen_US
dc.subjectEastern Mauen_US
dc.subjectWatersheden_US
dc.subjectNakuru Countyen_US
dc.subjectKenyaen_US
dc.titleSettlement Schemes and Their Implication on Eastern Mau Watershed, Nakuru County, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Settlement Schemes and their Implication on Eastern Mau Watershed....pdf
Size:
1.48 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full text Thesis
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
MST- Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning