Abstract
Environmental managers need current, accurate information upon which to base decisions. Viable information, especially in developing countries, is often unavailable. Satellite remote sensing is an appropriate and effective data source for mapping the surface of the earth, including a variety of environmental features. Remote-sensing-derived information is enhanced by being one component within a geographic information system (GIS). These techniques were employed to study an expanding delta in East Africa.
The Omo River flows from the Ethiopian Highlands into the northern end of Lake Turkana, creating a large delta extending between Ethiopia and Kenya. This isolated and unique wetland feature has expanded by over 500 sq km in the last 15 years as measured by space-borne remote sensing techniques and corroborated by low-altitude aircraft reconnaissance flights.
The growth of the delta appears to be a function of both increased sedimentation and decreased lake levels and river flows. Within the delta there has been a selective decline in wildlife and an increase in human activity, both pastoral and agricultural. The uniqueness of this isolated delta suggests that consideration be given to its possible protection and management.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Alexander, F. 1990. Turkana in transition.Swara 13(2):34–36.
Amin, M. 1981. Cradle of mankind. Chatto and Windus Ltd., London, 191 pp.
Aronoff, S. 1989. Geographic information systems: A management perspective. WDL Publications, Ottawa, Canada, 294 pp.
Beresford, A. K. C., T. D. Davies, and C. E. Vincent. 1981. Rift valley lakes record East Africa's climate.The Geographical Magazine 53(15):976–980.
Burrough, P. A. 1986. Principles of geographical information systems for land resource management. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 193 pp.
Butzer, K. W. 1971. Recent history of an Ethiopian delta. University of Chicago, Chicago. 184 pp.
Campbell, J. B. 1987. Introduction to remote sensing. Guilford Press, New York, 551 pp.
Cary, T. 1994. A world of possibilities: Remote sensing data for your GIS.Geo Info Systems 4(9):38–42.
Cerling, T. E. 1986. A mass-balance approach to basin sedimentation: Constraints on the recent history of the Turkana basin.Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 43:129–151.
Conitz, M., and D. Lowe. 1977. Remote sensing utilization in developing countries: An appropriate technology. Proceedings of the eleventh international symposium on remote sensing of the environment, Ann Arbor, Michigan, pp. 1055–1064.
Cummings, R. W., Jr. 1977. Minimum information systems for agricultural development in low-income countries. Agricultural Development Council, New York.
Dottavio, C. L., and F. D. Dottavio. 1984. Potential benefits of new satellite sensors to wetland mapping.Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 30(5):599–606.
Ferguson, A. J. D., and B. J. Harbott. 1982. Geographical, physical and chemical aspects of Lake Turkana. Pages 1–107in A. J. Hopson (ed). Lake Turkana: A report on the findings of the Lake Turkana project, 1972–1975. London, Overseas Development Administration.
Gasse, F., and F. A. Street. 1978. Late Quaternary lake-level fluctuations and environments of the northern Rift Valley and Afar region.Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 24:279–325.
Gomarasca, M. A., D. F. Lozano-Garcia, R. N. Fenandez, and C. J. Johannsen. 1992. Analysis of seasonal variation in the Niger river interior delta using satellite data.Geocarto International 7(3):61–73.
Haack, B. 1982. Landsat: A tool for development.World Development 10(10):899–909.
Halfman, J. D., and T. C. Johnson. 1988. High resolution record of cyclic climatic change during the past 4 ka from Lake Turkana, Kenya.Geology 16:496–500.
Hass, R. H., and F. A. Waltz. 1983. Evaluation of thematic mapper data for natural resources assessment. Proceedings, eighth Pecora symposium, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, pp. 122–133.
Helfert, M., and R. Holz. 1985. Multi-source verification of the desiccation of Lake Chad, Africa.Advances in Space Research 5(6):379–384.
Hughes, R. H., and J. S. Hughes. 1992. A directory of African wetlands. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland, 820 pp.
Johnson, T. C., J. D. Halfman, B. R. Rosendahl, and G. S. Lister. 1987. Climatic and tectonic effects on sedimentation in a rift valley lake: Evidence from Lake Turkana, Kenya.Geological Society of American Bulletin 98:439–447.
Kenk, E., M. Sondheim, and B. Yee. 1988. Methods for improving accuracy of thematic mapper ground cover classifications.Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing 14(1):17–31.
Lillesand, T. M., and R. W. Kiefer. 1994. Remote sensing and image interpretation, 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 750 pp.
Lulla, K., and R. Allison. 1994. Global sites to document long term ecological changes using Space Shuttle earth observations photography database: Omo River Delta, Lake Turkana (Africa) as an example of the database application.Geocarto International 9(3):67–68.
Milford, J. R. 1989. Satellite monitoring of the Sahel.Weather 44(2):77–82.
Morain, S. 1991. Observations on transferring earth observing technology to the developing world. Technical papers 1991 ACSM-ASPRS annual convention, Baltimore, Maryland, 3:282–290.
NAS (National Academy of Sciences). 1977. Remote sensing from space: Prospects for developing countries. Washington, DC, 202 pp.
Nyamweru, C. 1989. New evidence for the former extent of the Nile drainage system.The Geographical Journal 155(2):179–188.
Owen, R. B., J. W. Barthelme, R. W. Renaut, and A. Vincens. 1982. Paleolimnology and archaeology of Holocene deposits north-east of Lake Turkana, Kenya.Nature 298:523–529.
Paul, C. K., and A. F. Mascarenhas. 1981. Remote sensing in development.Science 214(4517):139–145.
Raasch, H. 1994. Mapping of vegetation, land cover, and land use by satellite-experience and conclusions for future project applications.Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 60(3):265–271.
Schneider, S. R., D. R. McGinnis Jr., and G. Stephens. 1985. Monitoring Africa's Lake Chad basin with Landsat and NOAA satellite data.International Journal of Remote Sensing 6(1):59–73.
Tucker, C. J., H. E. Dregne, and W. W. Newcomb. 1991. Expansion and contraction of the Sahara desert.Science 253:252–253.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
On leave from Department of Geography, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA