The DRIER project is a collaboration between universities in Kenya, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom. Our aim is to strengthen understanding of the changing regional water balance in the drylands of East Africa, by integrating the hydrological, climatic and social dimensions of this change.
In Kenya we have focussed most of our work on Isiolo county, and especially the wards of Burat and Kinna, with some hydrological model analysis also for the wider Ewaso Ng’iro river catchment. Together with analysis of climatic data, and modelling of water stores, we have also undertaken detailed research at community level in Burat and Kinna, with the aim of understanding better people’s reliance on different water sources and their experiences of the impacts of drought. In this research briefing we bring information from these sources together to summarize some of our learnings to date.
KEY IMPLICATIONS of this research approach • Our data analysis shows significant drought trends in the region over the last 40 years (an increase in drought intensity and frequency) which has important implications for livelihoods • Our modelling shows the dynamic of water stores (soil moisture, river flow, groundwater) in response to climatic changes. While total seasonal rainfall is important, so is the evaporative demand which removes water from the surface, and the intensity of rainfall which affects how much rain can enter the rivers and recharge the groundwater. • Where available, deep boreholes are most people’s preferred source of water in both Burat and Kinna wards, especially during dry and extended drought periods when they are the most dependable source. • However, some use other, often more distant, sources simply because they are unable to afford paying for the borehole water, and most of these are used by livestock as well as humans, even when visibly turbid and polluted. • The work underlines the value of learning both from scientific data and from peoples’ experiences, and considering these together to plan sectoral responses in specific dryland locations