A Process Report on a Participation project for Assessment of Water Resources Development Impact and Setting of Minimum Threshold in Uganda 2021/2022

Abstract

Ever-growing demands for energy and water to fulfill the diverse developmental needs of modern society within the domestic, agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors has led to increasing exploitation of Lakes, Swamps, rivers and streams. In Uganda, water resources are particularly important natural and renewable sources of drinking water, irrigation water, hydroelectric power, water transport, recreations and other aquatic resources (such as, fish, sand, rocks, etc.). Recognizing the indispensable role played by water resources in local and national economic development, requires proper guidelines for defining environmentally adequate or acceptable limits of maximum and minimum water flows is pragmatic. Such well- defined limits of flows are essential if water resources are to be utilized in a sustainable manner into the indefinite future, and if disruption of ecological and social balance is to be avoided, while maintaining aquatic biodiversity. To this end, an ecosystems approach (holistic, interdisciplinary view of the environment as interdependent physical, biological, chemical and human components) holds promise and seems to be a better alternative to the conventional sectoral approach (addressing economic and social sectors such as forestry, agriculture, industry, water resources, human society, etc., as separate components requiring differential treatment to water resource management and development for integrated catchment-level management.