Characterization of Chyulu Hills Watershed Ecosystem Services in South-Eastern Kenya

Abstract

Water is an important good provided by watersheds and is critical in sustaining life and socio-economic development. This study evaluated water provision in the Chyulu Hills watershed which is one of the important dry land water catchments in Kenya. Surface water discharge was mainly through rivers and springs with the latter being more prevalent than the former while ground water provision was primarily through boreholes and shallow wells. Springs discharged the highest water volume annually estimated at 128.14million m 3 or 85.14% of all the water discharged in the watershed, with shallow wells and boreholes discharging the least water. For all the springs found in the watershed, Mzima springs discharged the highest water volume estimated at nearly 113.15 million m 3 annually or 88.30% of the water produced by all the springs; and about 75.19% of the water in the entire watershed. Rivers which were active had a total water discharge of about 20.66million m 3 per year, with Kibwezi River discharging 17.59 million m 3 annually or 85.14% of all the water from rivers. Shallow wells were mainly prevalent at Nthongoni and the Makindu, and their annual water discharge was about 16.96million m 3 per year with boreholes contributing 98.87% (approximately 16.76 million m 3 /yr.) of the ground water, and the rest (19,169.92m 3 /yr.) being contributed by shallow wells. The total amount of water discharged in the watershed by the combined water source types was about 150.49 million m3/yr.