What are the dangers of building on riparian lands?

Building in the riparian areas can have serious consequences these include:

  • Increase in overall flooded area: Buildings and other structures in the riparian land displace flood waters, pushing overflow further out into the watershed and affecting lands and buildings that would not be at risk otherwise.
  • Greater financial losses through property damage when flooding occurs.
  • Increase in risks to human safety: Deaths and injuries from drowning, being trapped in vulnerable structures, or being struck by flood debris all increase once riparian lands are developed.
  • Riparian areas, which are also a key component of wetlands, are considered unsafe for construction due to the underground water systems that may weaken the foundations making the buildings potentially dangero

Importance of riparian lands

  • Wetlands are important as they provide ecological services including sieving up aquatic pollutants, acting as biodiversity habitat, recharging underground water systems and help mitigating floods by regulating storm-water flow over time and increase water retention.
  • The areas also aid in climate change adaptation as they support flora and fauna, recharge aquifers during the dry season, help in nutrient retention and shoreline stabilization (NEMA 2018).
  • Recreation

Waterways are important sites for recreation such as walking, swimming, fishing and promoting tourism.

 

Mercy Wangui

For Nema Licence Call

0715827209


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