Freshwater Resources in Tanzania
Megan Ix, class of 2007 | Major: Environmental Science and Policy (A.B.) | Extracurricular: WOODS program (teaching local K-12 students about environmental issues); Delta Gamma sorority; Catholic Student Center | Home: Geneva, Switzerland
In Megan’s words:
Ecology and conservation are two pressing issues around the world, and particularly in Africa. I had the opportunity to study both while abroad in Tanzania. Over the course of four months I explored everything from wildlife and grazing patterns in the Serengeti to coral reef ecology off the coast in the Mafia Islands.
One particularly interesting facet to study was the interactions between the people their natural environments. With the high number of national parks and protected areas, land policy in an increasingly important factor in the lives of those who live in or around these areas. I had the opportunity to spend several days living with the Maasai tribe; observing how they live off the land gave me incredible insight into our own dependence on natural resources and need to take care of them.
I spent my last month in Tanzania completing independent research on freshwater resources. I conducted my study on the small island of Chole, which is part of the Mafia Archipelago. The small island is home to approximately 800 people, all whom rely on the islands wells for their fresh water. Because of population pressure, the size of the island, and overdrawing of the wells, the community is facing problems of salt water intrusion. These water supply and quality problems have forced the community to seek other sources, often leading to the purchase of water from a nearby island. I spent my time analyzing the volume of water usage on the island, trends in perceived water quality, and the level of community interest in collectively addressing the problem. The results of my studies showed both a need and interest in addressing fresh water resource issues in the community, and also provided quantitative estimates of the amount of water needed on a daily basis.
Tanzania is a country with many different environments, ranging from tropical forests to vast savannahs, to growing metropolitan cities. Through my time there I was able to experience many of these places and learn about their characteristics and importance in terms of natural resources, conservation, and the interactions between socioeconomic goals and ecological concerns.
