Lake Jipe Upcoming Projects
We have left for later the two major projects for the rehabilitation of Lake Jipe ecosystem:
- 1. Construction of a passive Dam
- The passive Dam will be built on the outlet of Lake Jipe at a height that will ensure its minimum level, even in times of drought. Thus impeding scenarios as in 2006 when the Lake went dry and all its fauna died, including all families of hippos.
- 2. Construction of a floating combine typha weed harvesting machine
- Nowadays to fight Typha weed growth, the villagers set on fire the weed on top of the Lake with abundant petrol. For them it is the only way to preserve an access to the Lake and avoid the Typha turning the Lake into a swamp. However, Typha weed is useful in some places and not in others. Knowing where it has to be removed and being able to remove it precisely is an asset for the community. Typha weed provides at the inlet of the Lake a natural filter to all upstream pollution and south of the Lake it provides food to the elephants that are capable of eating tons. The floating combine will harvest the shores granting access to the fishermen and the harvested Typha will be sold as fertiliser to neighbouring farms.
