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Hydrology II: Hydrology, Society of Regions Surrounding Mount Kenya

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Glaciers, Nature, Water, and Local Community in Mount Kenya

Part of the book series: International Perspectives in Geography ((IPG,volume 17))

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Abstract

This study evaluated whether the local communities residing in the leeward side of Mount Kenya in East Africa are aware of the on-going glacier changes, and its implications on domestic water supply and livelihoods. The spatial analysis of the glacial changes in Mount Kenya was conducted using medium resolution (30 m × 30 m) Landsat imageries and ArcGIS and ENVI software. The local perception survey on glacial changes, river flow, and livelihood impacts was undertaken through face-to-face interviews with 90 riparian residents along the Naromoru and Likii rivers, which included farmers, pastoralists, and urban residents. The findings demonstrated that Mount Kenya has continuously experienced progressive glacial retreat in the last four decades (1976–2016). The level of public perception on the glacial retreat was similar to the actual trend documented through scientific research. Based on this study, we recommend that both the national and county governments should integrate glacial retreat and its hydrological implications in policy and relevant development and natural resources management plans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Nairobi, Box 30,197–00,100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Francis Mwaura & Moses Ndarua Njoki

Authors
  1. Francis Mwaura
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  2. Moses Ndarua Njoki
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Correspondence to Francis Mwaura .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Kazuharu Mizuno

  2. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Ecohydrology Research Institute, Aichi, Japan

    Yuya Otani

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Mwaura, F., Njoki, M.N. (2022). Hydrology II: Hydrology, Society of Regions Surrounding Mount Kenya. In: Mizuno, K., Otani, Y. (eds) Glaciers, Nature, Water, and Local Community in Mount Kenya. International Perspectives in Geography, vol 17. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7853-0_4

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