Continued swelling of lakes in the Rift Valley has displaced thousands of residents and destroyed property, with experts pointing to a combination of environmental and geological factors as the main drivers of the flooding.

Over the years, water levels in Lakes Nakuru, Naivasha, Baringo, Bogoria, Victoria and Turkana have been rising steadily. Environmental and climate specialists attribute the unprecedented rise to climate change, shifting geological structures beneath the Rift Valley and widespread land degradation in catchment areas.

According to an environmentalist Job Kareithi, poor farming practices and deforestation in highland regions have accelerated soil erosion, washing massive amounts of soil and sediment into the lakes. The build-up of this sediment reduces lake depth, leaving water with less space to settle, forcing it outward into surrounding land.

“Some of these lakes are now very shallow because they’ve filled up with residue,” Kareithi said by phone. “If nothing is done, they will eventually dry up when there’s no space left to hold water,” he added.

He explained that decomposing organic matter at the bottom of the lakes is also altering water chemistry and releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. With the flooding worsening every year, Kareithi is proposing dredging as a long-term solution.

He says restoring the lakes to their natural depth by removing accumulated sediment and decayed organic matter would create more water-holding capacity and help prevent further flooding.

“Removing the solid deposits from the lakes will help create more space for the water to settle and reduce the risk of flooding,” he observed.

Kareithi noted that dredging could be done using hydraulic or mechanical methods depending on the size and condition of the lake. He singled out Lake Ol’Bolossat, which he says is on the verge of drying up and could be revived through dredging. Lake Naivasha, too, has been shrinking due to heavy sedimentation.

He further suggested that the sediment extracted from the lakes could be recycled into organic fertiliser, benefiting farmers due to its nutrient-rich content.

Kareithi is urging the government, through the ministry of environment, to involve environmental scientists in running a coordinated dredging programme across the Rift Valley lake basin.

He also called for concerted reforestation efforts in erosion-prone areas to stop further soil loss into rivers and lakes.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Purity Mugo