PLANNING FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGHOMILI- DRAINAGE BASIN IN ANAMBRA STATE OF NIGERIA

摘要

Anambra state is well endowed with water resources andrnis well drained with a close network of Lakes Rivers andrnstreams. The state's water problems include inadequaternplanning and management of the water resources. WaterrnResources Management aims at optimizing the availablernnatural water flows, including surface water andrngroundwater, to satisfy the competing needs. Issuesrnassociated with climate change will increase therncomplexity of managing water resources. Agho Milirndrainage basin runs across three local Government Areasrnof Anambra state. Geologically, it lies on top of a shaleyrnFormation (Imo Shale), flanked on both sides by arnsandstone Formation (Nanka Sands). The Changes in thernclimate has introduced a shorter rainy season with veryrnheavy rainfall in the state with attendant flooding, silting,rnsediment transport, food shortage and erosion. Peoplernliving around the Agho Mili drainage basin includernfarmers, civil servants as well as business men andrnwomen. The potentials of the Drainage basin in solvingrnwater resource problems in the area were studied usingrnsatellite images, topographic maps, and geophysicalrnsurveys. Challenges in designing the drainage basinrninclude the state water laws and appropriation. The surveyrnresults shows that the dept to the underlying shale variesrnfrom 2.3 meters to 5.7meters; also that heavy flood andrnsediment transport are generated from the hinterlandrnflowing through the major tributaries into Agho MilirnRiver. The study then designs the best managementrnpractices for the basin area for flood harvesting techniquernand control erosion during rainy season. It also developedrna strategy for the banks of Agho Mili River up to 1500rnmeters away at Akpu, Ezira, Umunze and Ndiowu forrnirrigation and fisheries development.