6 ADVANTAGES AND 5 DISADVANTAGES OF RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT

 

What is river basin development?

River basin is the area drained by single river.

River basin development is the establishment of various programs to tap various resources in the river basin.

River basin development is conducted through river development projects which are multipurpose projects aimed at meeting many goals such as flood control, water supply, irrigation schemes, settlement, and so forth.

Examples of river basin development projects are the Volta river project in Ghana, the Orange river project in South Africa, the Rufiji river basin development in Tanzania, and the Tennessee valley project in the USA.

River basin development is advantageous to the people and economy of the country in the following ways:

control of floods

It helps in the control of floods to the place where they are established.

This is achieved through the construction of dams that reserve water and control flooding.

conservation of environment

River basin development encourage the conservation of the environment like control of soil erosion through  tree planting

are used as research centre

River basin development projects are used as research centers for studying ecosystem and their importance to human beings.

hydro electric power generation

River basin development projects are center on hydroelectric power generation. electricity generated from hydroelectric power plants is used in manufacturing industries and is also domestically.

source of water for domestic and industrial use

River basin development projects provide water for domestic use and industrial purposes. Water taped at a dam is used for irrigation purpose, in manufacturing industries, and for domestic purpose.

can be used for water transport

They lead to improvement of navigation in respective areas, especially when dams are constructed.

provide water for irrigation scheme

River basin development projects provide water for irrigation schemes hence leading to expansion of farms and increased agricultural production.

encourage development of fishing industry

River basin development projects can lead to the development of the fishing industry especially after the construction of dams.

The river basin development can also be disastrous in the following ways:

loss of biodiversity

It can lead to loss of biodiversity especially around areas occupied by dams. The dams constructed in river basin development areas cover large areas thus it leads to loss of biodiversity and destruction of the ecosystem

outbreak of diseases

It can lead to outbreaks of diseases like malaria and bilharzia.

Waterborne diseases can become prevalent due to stagnant water in dams which is a suitable environment for breeding mosquitoes and snails which are responsible for the transmission of malaria and bilharzia

displacement of people

People can be displaced to enable the development of the river basins.

Construction and development of river basin project takes large area hence people can be displaced and lose their land and heritage during the process

soil degradation

Soil in irrigated areas can be exhausted due to intensive farming

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