Lake Chad, in the Sahel region of Africa (and once the sixth largest lake in the world) has shrunk by 90% over the last 40 years, primarily due to increased agricultural and municipal water withdrawals, but also due in-part to climate change and persistent droughts (Gao et al., 2011) .
What is causing Lake Chad to shrink?
Once one of Africa’s largest lakes, Lake Chad has shrunk by around 90% since the 1960s. This receding water is down to a reduction of precipitation, induced by climate change, as well as development of modern irrigation systems for agriculture and the increasing human demand for freshwater.
What is the main threat to Lake Chad?
The Lake Chad Basin is the site of a large-scale, complex and protracted humanitarian emergency. Factors contributing to the crisis include conflict, rapid population growth and severe vulnerability caused by the effects of climate change, environmental degradation and poverty.
How do you restore Lake Chad?
The Lake Chad replenishment project is a proposed major water diversion scheme that would involve damming the right tributaries of the Congo river, channeling some of the water to Lake Chad through a navigable canal. The canal, named Transaqua, was proposed by a team of engineers of the firm Bonifica, led by Dr.
Is Lake Chad still shrinking?
Our results indicate that in tandem with groundwater and tropical origin of water supply, over the last two decades, Lake Chad is not shrinking and recovers seasonally its surface water extent and volume.
Are there crocodiles in Lake Chad?
Lake Chad itself holds 85 fish species. … There are many floating islands in the lake. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including elephants, hippopotamus, crocodile (all in decline), and large communities of migrating birds including wintering ducks, ruff (Philomachus pugnax) and other waterfowl and shore birds.
What are the conflicts rising from the problems with Lake Chad?
Rising conflicts
These include persistence economic crisis; divisive reforms; poor governance; rising inequality and bourgeoning corruption among the ruling political elite. Countries of the Lake Chad basin are among the 10 least peaceful countries in Africa, according to 2020 Global Terrorism Index report.
Who controls Lake Chad?
The LCBC controls the hydro-active regions in the Chad Basin, called the Conventional Basin. The initial Conventional Basin consisted of approximately 427,500 km² of the total area of the Chad basin in 1964.
Why is Lake Chad important?
According to FAO Director of Land and Water Parviz Koohafkan, the Lake Chad basin is one of the most important agricultural heritage sites in the world, providing a lifeline to nearly 30 million people in four countries — Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. … Parts of the lake also extend to Niger and Cameroon.
Why is Lake Chad economically important?
Lake Chad is economically important, providing water to more than 30 million people in four countries surrounding the central part of the Sahel. In West Africa, the multiplying effect on agricultural productivity, health and security of the region is affected by the decrease in water levels of the Lake.
What are people doing to save Lake Chad?
But there have been spirited efforts to rescue the lake from oblivion. The governments in the Lake Chad region are exploring reviving a plan that was first explored in 1982 by an Italian engineering company to construct a 2,400 canal that will tap water from the tributaries of Congo River and drain it into the Lake.
Is Chad in West Africa?
The Republic of Chad | West Africa.
When did Lake Mega-Chad dry up?
The northern basin of Lake Mega-Chad, currently the world’s greatest dust source, became dry around 1,000 years ago.