ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NGERENGERE RIVER:

NGERENGERE RIVER.
Ngerengere River is a river among of the seasonal rivers found in Morogoro Region in Tanzania
country. which has been surrounded by controversy. The Mindu Dam is being rapidly silted due
to deforestation in the surrounding areas. It faces mercury poisoning from gold mining nearby
and a threat to water supply.
Geographical location of River Ngerengere, The source of Ngerengere is Uluguru Mountains
The river passes in more than 20 villages in Morogoro and Pwani regions.
The human activities conducted along Ngerengere river are;Gardening, poultry establishment, Fish farming establishment, sustainable grazing, Sustainable
charcoal production, and tree nurseries establishment.

Figure 1 : A man watering his plants (depending on river water)

Vision is to secure alternative means of income, to improve the life standard and eradicate
poverty among the communities around the River and retain the nature of River and change
negative altitude about environment among the people to improve the wellbeing.

Figure 2: Human activities conducted near the river.

In general the River is the major water source to thousands of people, Cattle, Wild animals etc.
But sometimes the situation at Ngerengere River is worse, due to human activities.
The nature has been deteriorated due to excessive tree cutting, illegal charcoal trading, farming
along the river banks, mining into the river, illegal fishing by using poison, Water source
pollution, poaching etc.

Environmental degradation is a process through which the natural environment is

compromised in some way, reducing biological diversity and the general health of the
environment. This process can be entirely natural in origin, or it can be accelerated or caused by
human activities.
Or that is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water
and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife. Many international
organizations recognize environmental degradation as one of the major threats facing the planet,
since humans have only been given one Earth to work with, and if the environment becomes
irreparably compromised, it could mean the end of human existence.

Causes of environmental degradation in Ngerengere River.

That is due to human activities conducted along the river:Deforestation: most of the people along Ngerengere Riverthey destruct forest resources,
byclearing land, for wood and for various other reasons. By that process tends to decreases the
number of trees, which clean the environment, provide oxygen and also affect rain patterns. This
is the major reason why there are calls for tree plantation; it is to make up for this loss.
Water source pollution: The pollution from the habitants and farmers along the rivers blocks
the river channel and decreases the quality of the water.

Figure 3 : Polluted river water having poor quality

Farming along the river banks: The activity of practicing any type of agricultural farming
alongside the river harms the river. The river level of water depends much on the rainfall and
other sources

Figure 4 : A man fetching water from the river

Figure 5 : A plot thats been cultivated alongside the river

Illegal fishing method: These are fishing methods/activities conducted in ways that are
unpleasant or do not comply with the environment of the river and the creatures found in it.
These methods can lead to death of fishes and other creatures found in the river and sometime
may kill certain or harm certain fish species and may lead to their disappearance.
Overgrazing along river banks causing loss of bank side habitat and erosion.

Impacts of environmental degradation in river Ngerengere:

Due to natural deterioration of environments along river Ngerengere can leads to occurrence of
destructions of environments along the River, and these are:

Decrease of rainfall.
Soil erosion.
Decreasing of certain species around the River.

Nutrient depletion.
Weather and climatic change.
Loss of biodiversity.

Recommendation:

Enacting rules and guidelines; Rules protecting the river and its surrounding should be
enacted and enforced in order to preserve the river.
Formulating social groups on how to preserve the river and it resources.
Promoting the means of A forestation; for the better protection of the natural resources
along the river should have establishing the means of planting trees.

Figure 6 : Group members working along the riverbank