Location and Roles of Deep Pools in Likangala River during 2012 Recession Period of Lake Chilwa Basin

Rodgers Makwinja,John Banda,Mphatso Chapotera,Patrick Likongwe,Asaf Chijere

doi:10.1155/2014/294683

Rodgers Makwinja, John Banda + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/294683

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Abstract

The ecological study focusing on Likangala River was conducted during the recent (2012) Lake Chilwa recession and aimed at identifying the important pools and the impact of indigenous ecological knowledge on the use and management of the aquatic biodiversity in the pools. An extensive georeferencing of the pools, field observations, and measurement of the pool depths was conducted to locate and map the deep pools along the river. Garmin Etrex Venture HC, GPS, and georeferencing were used to obtain the points and locate the place. Oral interviews with local leaders were conducted to understand the use and management of the pools by communities. The study showed that Likangala River has 17 pools with depths ranging from 1.85 m to 3.6 m. The pools act as habitats and feeding and spawning ground for various aquatic biodiversity. The study further found that some important deep pools have apparently become shallower during the past few years due to increased silt deposition from the upper part of the catchment. The study shows that deep pools are very important during Lake Chilwa recession and recommends the participatory fisheries management as the best way of sustaining the aquatic biodiversity and endangered species in Lake Chilwa basin.

Highlights

Lake Chilwa is among the most productive aquatic ecosystems in the tropics
The study was focused on Likangala River which drains into Lake Chilwa, a basin lake with total area of 2248 km2, an altitude of 622 meters above sea level, and maximum depth of less than 5 meters, which is situated between Latitudes 15∘00󸀠S and 15∘30󸀠S and Longitudes 35∘30󸀠E and 35∘55󸀠E in the centre of the low-lying Chilwa-Phalombe plain in Southern Malawi [7]
The current study found that Likangala River has 17 pools with depth ranging from 1.85 m to 3.6 m

Summary

Introduction

Lake Chilwa is among the most productive aquatic ecosystems in the tropics. The Lake fishery is very important to Malawi’s economy and contributes on average around 15,000 MTyear−1. Mulwafu (2000) [4] studied conflicts over water use in Malawi: A social-economic study of water resources management along Likangala River in Zomba District. Jamu et al, (2005) [6] studied the impacts of land use and cover changes in the Likangala catchment of the Lake Chilwa basin, Malawi with emphasis on implications for migrating fish species. None of the studies addressed the significance of the pools during the lake recession and the impact of the indigenous ecological knowledge of the communities around on the management of the pools. The present study aimed at locating pools along the river, understanding the significance of the pools to aquatic biodiversity during lake recession and the impact of the indigenous.

Materials and Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions