Lake Chad: running dry?

The greater Lake Chad basin now supports a population of at least 30 million. People have flocked to the area from a wide range of countries, drawn by the promise of a water supply, fish stocks and fertile land on the lake’s shores. Much lush forest land has been cleared to make way for scores of small-scale, intensive farms. Fields of fruit and vegetables are irrigated almost at will, via leaky and unlined drainage ditches. Recent studies have found that the heavy human use of resources is contributing to the fall in the level of the lake.

As the waters have retreated, residents’ struggle to earn a living has intensified. Fishermen on the lake speak of dwindling fish stocks, and authorities have banned the use of small-hole fishing nets to try and prevent species from dying out. But these restrictions and the reduced breeding ground have led to tensions between fishing communities. Also, as the lake shrunk several islands appeared; land quickly populated by fishing communities. The countries surrounding the lake have sought to make the most of these much-prized patches of land, and disputes between neighboring states have been referred to the international court system.

But while no one can deny that the surface of Lake Chad has shrunk from its 1960s level, some eminent geographers believe that this is not an irreversible decline. ENVIRONMENT meets the scientists who argue that the fall in the lake’s surface area is part of long-term, natural rhythms. They point out that the exceptional rainfall in the region this year has actually caused the water level to rise, prompting fears of flooding. For these experts, the disappearance of Lake Chad is not a forgone conclusion, and they argue it’s too simplistic to blame global warming.