The Impact Of Unplanned Urban Waterfront Development On Lake Hawassa

Urban Waterfront development has direct and indirect deteriorating impacts on lake. This problem will be aggravated if there is no sustainable waterfront planning and management. In Hawassa waterfront there has not been any concern given to the water front development even at the master plan level as a local development plan. As the same time the interest and expansion of development towards natural waterfront is increasing tremendously. This unplanned development has negative impacts on the Lake due to land use land cover change and problems emanated from types of land uses. The practice and awareness of important stakeholders within and without the waterfront also plays important role in degrading or conserving the lake. The average yearly percentage of change of development, forest cover, bare land and flooded zone has been increased by 1.47 %, 1.46 %, 4.76 % and 5.72 % respectively while wetland size, grassland and agricultural land has decreased at an average yearly percentage rate of 0.74 %, 13 %, and 1.94 % respectively. Development is increased proportionally with the decrease in wetland, grassland and forest cover. As development increases the demand for land resulted in the encroachment of natural land covers. The natural buffers become fragmented that ecosystem services like waste treatment, flood prevention and supporting the ecology diminished which has significant negative impact on the lake. Because of lack of municipal waste treatment, Organic waste from household’s end up into the lake causing eutrophication. There is also uncontrolled utilization of surface and ground water resources which does not consider the water budget of the lake. In addition, different land use types have impacting the fragile littoral zones and the lake through removal and defragmentation of the natural landscape, pollution and unsustainable consumption of resources. Even if there are possible legal and planning aspects and bodies for conserving lakes in Ethiopia the implementation is weak in the waterfront of Lake Hawassa. Therefore sustainable waterfront development plan and management plan are essential alongside with collaborative implementation. Key words

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