LAKE VICTORIA BASIN

CHANGING ENVIRONMENT 2

The Lake Victoria Basin ecosystem continues to undergo substantial changes as a result of pollution from industry and agriculture, the proliferation of waterweeds, over-fishing, the introduction of invasive alien species and land degradation. Algal blooms are prevalent in the Lake, to the extent that water transparency declined from five metres in the 1930s to less than one metre in the 1990s. The proliferation of the water hyacinth weed impedes the flow of water for irrigation, hinders navigation and interferes with hydropower schemes. The introduction of the Nile perch is blamed for the decline in the number of fish species from over 400 to about 200.

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