| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT
Riverine land uses are among factors that influence water quality. Fresh water quality is
nerlining and coDseqnemtiy imparting on the ecological heab:h of the ecosystem. Within the
Mara River Basin as a result of population increase over the years. deforestations has increased
to create room for human settlement, agricultural activities, urbanization and industrial
.development These.ac:tivities halre the potential to cause do line in water quality~ however the
effects of these activities on water quality in the Mara River Basin is very uncertain. The purpose
of this study was to assess how land Uses along the Mara River watershed impact on the water
.quati1y parameters .aud heavy metals levels in the river sediments, and concentration registered
compared with acceptable standards limits as set by the National Environment Management
Authority-Kenya (NEMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) using documented
standard methods of ~ Wata J!nd satiment samples were colle.ct.ed in triplicates ar 8
different sites based on distinct land use practices along the Mara River. A spring within the Mau
Forest-Ainabsabet spring was used as the control 1 site (C1 ),while a stream of water emanating
from a furested laud and draining into the main river after the mine site was used as conlml2 to
establish changes in water quality due to land use downstream the main river. The water pH,
dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, water turbidity, water temperature all regsistered a
signif.u:ao1 incrrase ftom the CODtroi s.it.e ar a amfidence limit of p "$ a05,other than the
concentrations of dissolved oxygen and turbidity at site 10 ( Kirumi wetland). The landuses
along the river did alter the concentration of these physichochemical parameters ,however they
fell within acceptable standard limi!s ofbuth NEM.>\.and WHO. Other than ammonium nitrogen
concentrations, all the nutrient concentration of silicates, nitrates, nitrites, soluble reactive
phosphorous, total nitrogen and total phosphorous at Emarti site.Ngerende I,Ngerende 2,
0ldmaIa Bridge.,New M.ata bridge had .a significant maease from the CflDtml site-Ainahsahet
spring. At site 10-Kirumi wetland, an the nutrients other than silicates concentrations exhibited a
significant reduction from the control site, and all fell within acceptable standard limits of
NEMA, 2006 and WHO.,. 2011 for surface domestic watc:r~ All the heavy metals; conc.entIation
registered significant increases from the control site, with concentrations such as Lead 49.80 ±
O.20llgll,Chromium 82.26 ± l.44Jlgll and Iron 41.00 ± lmg/l after the mine site-site 8,
registering amcentratioD .above the WHO., 2008 standard limits fur SUl"13ce40mestic water of 10
Ilgll for Lead, 50 Jlg/I for Chromium and 0.3 mg/l for Iron. The results suggest that land uses
along the Mara River are contributing to the nutrient and heavy metal loading of the river,
.b.o'w'c:vcr most parnll'lCtJ.:TS other than exhibiting significant increase from the CODtml site are
within acceptable standard limits for both NEMA 2006 and WHO 20ll. As long as the land uses
along the Mara River are sustained at their current levels,they don't pose a risk ofpolluting Lake
Victoria.. The wetland in K.in.unt aided in reduction uf most COBtamiBants and should be well
protected and conserved to ensure that the Mara River does not become a future reservoir for
polluting the Lake Vidoria watel:s.. | en_US |
