| Abstract |
The need to ensure rural community water security in Zambia, both in wet season and dry season has
resulted in the construction of small dam reservoirs. Dams have important functions of sustaining
livelihoods of rural local communities through multiple uses such as: (i) enhanced domestic water
security, (ii) increased agriculture yields of smallholder farming, (ii) fish farming opportunities, and
(iv) water for livestock to mention but a few. However, dam reservoirs are adversely impacted by
sedimentation. Sedimentation is the process by which particles of soils and rocks settle to the bottom
of the water reservoirs due to soil erosion in the catchment area leading to reduced reservoir volume
and water quality, and thus threatening community water security (Gregory and Edzwald, 2010).
Sedimentation reduces water-storage capacity of reservoirs and affect reservoir water quality. Thus,
Response to diverse effects of sedimentation on water resources and national economy requires close
dialogue and interaction among the research community, policy makers and beneficiary communities.
Whilst this problem is partly caused by natural erosion, over 80% is attributed to human activities due to
landuse activities and changes on the upstream of the catchments (Muchanga et al. 2019). |
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