Hydrometeorological Monitoring
Long-term monitoring of rainfall, river flow, and water quality provides critical, open-access data on the ecohydrology of the Mara River basin
Understanding the ecology of the Mara River basin requires understanding the hydrology of the system. We maintain a long-term gauging station at Purungat Bridge, near the border between Kenya and Tanzania, where we use a Eureka Manta2 sonde to measure river depth and discharge and physicochemical parameters related to water quality (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and turbidity). These data are critical for understanding current flow conditions, how they impact water quality, and how they compare with long-term trends in the basin. Data are cleaned and periodically published on our Data page on this site and are also available on request. We have previously maintained similar stations at Emarti Bridge, near the confluence of the Mara River’s main tributaries, and at Old Mara Bridge, near the northern end of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. These stations are not currently maintained due to lack of funding; however, we have several years of data from these sites.
We maintain three weather stations (Atmos 41, Meter Group) at Naboisho Camp, Mahali Mzuri Safari Lodge, and the Mara Serena Airstrip. These weather stations measure precipitation, atmospheric pressure, shortwave radiation, surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, wind gusts. They are part of the Trans-African Hydrometeorological Observatory (https://tahmo.org/), which has partnered with local schools to maintain 4 other stations in the basin. All data are provided online open-access and in real-time.
We maintain three weather stations (Atmos 41, Meter Group) at Naboisho Camp, Mahali Mzuri Safari Lodge, and the Mara Serena Airstrip. These weather stations measure precipitation, atmospheric pressure, shortwave radiation, surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, wind gusts. They are part of the Trans-African Hydrometeorological Observatory (https://tahmo.org/), which has partnered with local schools to maintain 4 other stations in the basin. All data are provided online open-access and in real-time.
Aquatic Biodiversity
Research on aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes in the Mara River and its tributaries provides information about the ecology and sustainability of the river system
The aquatic biodiversity of the Mara River basin is critical to the ecology and conservation of the river ecosystem. We have conducted biodiversity surveys on aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes throughout the Mara River basin since 2008. These data provide information on biological communities in the river and how they respond to changing flow regimes and water quality, which can inform water resource managers on minimum sustainable flow levels required to maintain a healthy river ecosystem, as well as local human communities who depend for water and ecosystem services. With new funding from the JRS Biodiversity Foundation, we are ensuring all aquatic biodiversity records for the basin are digitized and published open-access on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (https://www.gbif.org/). We are also developing DNA barcoding tools for all taxa in the basin to examine patterns of aquatic biodiversity in more detail and to facilitate future use of eDNA monitoring approaches.
We also study the ecology of aquatic species in the Mara River basin. We are implementing a radio telemetry project to track freshwater migrations of the critically endangered Ningu, (Labeo victorianus), and the Ripon barbel (Labeobarbus altianalis). This study will show how freshwater migrations are linked to changing river flows, which will highlight critical components of the flow regime for conservation. It will also illustrate the potential impacts of future hydropower development on fish migrations in the river. We also study trace element concentrations in aquatic communities. Because some aquatic taxa can bioaccumulate potentially harmful contaminants including lead and mercury, their trace element concentrations can be important indicators of problems in water quality and can have implications for human health in local communities.
We also study the ecology of aquatic species in the Mara River basin. We are implementing a radio telemetry project to track freshwater migrations of the critically endangered Ningu, (Labeo victorianus), and the Ripon barbel (Labeobarbus altianalis). This study will show how freshwater migrations are linked to changing river flows, which will highlight critical components of the flow regime for conservation. It will also illustrate the potential impacts of future hydropower development on fish migrations in the river. We also study trace element concentrations in aquatic communities. Because some aquatic taxa can bioaccumulate potentially harmful contaminants including lead and mercury, their trace element concentrations can be important indicators of problems in water quality and can have implications for human health in local communities.
Land-water Linkages
Research on the impacts of land use change and wildlife populations on the river ecosystem highlight linkages across the landscape
Changes within the Mara River provide an integrated picture of changes across the whole landscape. Our research on changing sediment and flow regimes in the river illustrate how changing land use impacts both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Agricultural development, urban settlement, and overgrazing by livestock can lead to erosion and loss of topsoil during precipitation. This topsoil often ends up in the river, increasing turbidity of the water, smothering benthic life, and carrying potential contaminants. Land use change also changes the hydrology of the system, with rainfall running off into the rivers rather than penetrating well into the soil, leading to falling groundwater levels, lower base flows, and higher high flows.
In the Mara River basin, large wildlife play a uniquely important role in connecting land and water. Wildlife rely upon the river as a critical source of freshwater, and our research has shown how their use impacts the river as well. Hippos can transport large amounts of carbon and nutrients from the savanna to the river through their daily feeding migrations. Their inputs of dung and urine into the river can feed the river food web, but under low flow conditions can become toxic to river life. The wildebeest migration also plays an important role in bringing resources to the river in the form of carcasses during annual crossing events and occasional mass drownings. These inputs can provide important food for aquatic and terrestrial scavengers, and bones can fertilize the river for decades. Conservation of large wildlife and the river are intimately linked to one another.
In the Mara River basin, large wildlife play a uniquely important role in connecting land and water. Wildlife rely upon the river as a critical source of freshwater, and our research has shown how their use impacts the river as well. Hippos can transport large amounts of carbon and nutrients from the savanna to the river through their daily feeding migrations. Their inputs of dung and urine into the river can feed the river food web, but under low flow conditions can become toxic to river life. The wildebeest migration also plays an important role in bringing resources to the river in the form of carcasses during annual crossing events and occasional mass drownings. These inputs can provide important food for aquatic and terrestrial scavengers, and bones can fertilize the river for decades. Conservation of large wildlife and the river are intimately linked to one another.