Assessment of the Impact of Human Activities along the River Ngadda Channel, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper examines the impact of human’s activities along the River Ngadda channel, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data include field observation and measurement of various activities along the river’s channel where their coordinates, slope angles and distances from the channel were taken using GPS and measuring tape. Secondary data were generated from topographic and soil maps. The data were analyzed through the use of ArcGIS 9.3 and Surfer 7.0. Descriptive statistics was also used. The result shows that the slopes along the River Ngadda channel range from 0° to 30° with distances of 8 m to 77 m. The findings also revealed that settlement, farming, quarrying, mining, excavation, grazing, dumping of refuse, construction, fishing and open defecation are among the various activities observed along the River Ngadda channel. Geomorphic processes such as splash, sheet, rill and gully erosions were observed. These geomorphic processes are occurring at an accelerated rate due to the human activities along the River which expose the soil to both wind and water erosion. Some significant environmental consequences of these activities are gullying, landslides, floods, water and land pollution. The paper recommends that there is need for enforcing existing laws prohibiting settlement in close proximity to the River channel and designation of specific areas for excavation, quarrying and mining as against the present random practice. Planting of trees along the River Channel should be encouraged to check unnatural rates of geomorphic processes. Awareness campaign on environmental hazards associated with settling along floods prompt areas should be carried out at the grassroots level.