Lakes Haramaya in Ethiopia has dried up, literally leaving dependent communities high and dry. The once-saline Lake Hora-Kilole has also shrunk drastically, following the diversion of the Mojo River into it. Results of a long-running study carried out over 1986 and 2006 reveal that their demise resulted from a combination of ecological changes and hydro-geological factors, exacerbated by Climate Change and ill-planned human interventions.

Dr. Brooke Lemma (Addis Ababa University), who carried out the study, takes us through the chain of events. While it might be difficult to rejuvenate the two lakes, we can draw some valuable lessons from their story: (a) These are times that demand rational/ budgeted use of water from such lakes; (b) we need to realize the economic value of aquatic eco-systems, and be ready to pay towards their conservation and (c) it is imperative that end-users are engaged in working towards (a) and (b).

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Produced by: TheWaterChannel
Language: English
Year: 2011

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