Responding to the deteriorating conditions of Lake Victoria and wetlands in Uganda

Lake Victoria is the largest lake in East Africa and one of the largest in the World with a surface area of 68,800 km² and a shoreline of approximately 30,500 km. The lake is shared by three countries; Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, which respectively control 6%, 45% and 49% of the lake surface area. The gross economic product in the Lake Victoria basin is between US$34 billion annually and supports an estimated population of 30 million people with incomes in the range of US$90-270 per capita per annum. The lake basin thus provides for the livelihood of about 1/3 of the combined population of the three countries and about the same proportion of the combined gross domestic product (GDP). It is estimated that the present value of annual export earnings from fishery is about US$600 million, which represents US$240-480 million per annum of revenue to the lake community. The catchment area of Lake Victoria is slowly being degraded due to wetland reclamation for agriculture and human settlement and due to extensive deforestation. The increase in human population in the riparian area has put pressure on the wetland resources and forest for agricultural land, timber, firewood and habitation among other human needs. Over-fishing and the (well-known) effects of the introduction of non-native fish species have seriously affected fish diversity in the lake. Recently, an additional threat requiring urgent action has become clear. Since mid-2005 the water levels of Lake Victoria—the world’s second largest freshwater lake—have been steadily falling to levels which are threatening the human uses of the lake (including its role in providing electricity, boat transport and water supply) as well as the extensive fringing wetlands and other ecosystems which it supports. Lake Victoria is the source of the Nile, the longest river in Africa. Hydro-power dams and associated structures have been constructed on Uganda territory. These include the Nalubale dam (Owen Falls Dam) that was constructed in 1959. This hydropower dam effectively transformed Lake Victoria from a natural lake to a reservoir, and it now controls the lake’s outflow to the Victoria Nile. NAPE has been on the forefront advocating for change in national strategies on water and energy development and a more open-minded look at proposed hydropower development along the Nile. Recently, NAPE secured the release of an important series of reports on the lowering level of Lake Victoria. These reports, along with other publicly available information on Lake Victoria, have been analyzed with the intention of creating a document that can be easily understood by a broader public. This analysis report confirms that the over-release of water through two adjacent dams on the Nile is a primary cause of the lowering levels of the lake—prolonged drought accounts for less than half the reduced levels, hydropower operations more than half. In addition, the proposed Bujagali dam, downstream of the Owen Falls complex, was designed assuming the flow released from Lake Victoria through the Owen Falls complex would be in accordance with the Agreed Curve. As it is clear now that the Agreed Curve is no longer being respected and the Victoria Nile flow regime has changed, the original long-term energy output assessment for Bujagali is no longer valid, and the implication of the falling water levels of the Victoria Lake are likely to grow worse if the dam operations are not changed. The goal of this project is to develop a common strategy for civil society and government for addressing the current conditions of the Lake Victoria and its implications to social, economic and environmental aspects in the East African region. For this purpose, the project will gather civil society and public views and suggestions on how to address the study findings on falling water levels of Lake Victoria and related ecosystem degradation. \Main activities and outputs include: Holding a meeting with engineers and other experts from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to review and discuss the analysis report: Findings of the Analysis Report are reviewed Technical implications for the lake by development of hydropower projects are identified Environmental, social and economical implications of the findings are established Meeting reports are produced Holding a multi-stakeholders workshop (policy makers, civil society organizations, general public and representatives of the communities living around the lake) to discuss issues and conclusions identified during the engineers meeting, and wetlands management in Uganda: Findings of engineers meeting are discussed Views from public are gathered Way forward and action strategy are suggested Drawing an agreeable strategy between government and civil society on how to address the current lake situation and wetland management: A strategy has been developed A strategy document is available. The project is expected to produce professional analysis and technical advice on the falling water levels of the lake and degradation of the Lake Victoria basin ecosystem. It is also expected that the commonly agreed upon strategy will provide appropriate advice to government on an immediate course of action to address the phenomenon.

- The decline of Lake Victoria water levels stems from a number of factors which include; prolonged draught in the region, evaporation, wetlands and forests degradation in the lake basin, climate change and over release of water at the power stations at Jinja above the agreed curve. - Other factors include lack of policy implementation on wetlands, forests and water resources management, failure to involve key stakeholders in natural resource management and ever increasing population that has exerted excessive pressure on the natural resources in the Lake Victoria The suggested solution of the lake crisis included:(1) need to hold more multi-stakeholder consultations on the lake water decline, wetlands and forest degradation; (2) conducting a comprehensive and integrated research regarding the crisis, increased promotion of alternative sources of energy and (3) promoting strategies for collaborative efforts with other initiatives in the region that are addressing the lake crisis and utilize the Uganda Dams Dialogue to work with NAPE take forward the recommendations.