| dc.description.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. | en_US |
