Wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatlandor water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters. (Millennium ecosystem assessment, 2005).
Wetlands provide significant economic, social and cultural benefits. Like primary products such as pastures, timber and fish and support recreational and tourist activities. Wetlands also help reduce the impacts from storm damage and flooding, maintain good water quality in rivers, recharge groundwater, store carbon, help stabilize climatic conditions and control pests.
Ecologically destruction of wetlands is a concern because they are some…show more content… Recently the value of wetlands has been recognized and efforts have been made to protect these ecosystems. However, they are still disappearing under the pressure of human activity, and are being threatened by air pollution and climate change.
Changes in factors that indirectly affect wetland ecosystems, such as population, technology and lifestyle can lead to changes in factors that directly affect wetlands, such as the catch of the fish or application of fertilizers to increase food production. The resulting changes cause the ecosystem services derived from or supplied by the wetland to change and there by affect human well being (millennium ecosystem assessment, 2005)
Within a Wetland Disturbances that directly change the structure of wetlands can be so severe that the wetland is destroyed. Filling or draining a wetland can so alter the water regime that the land can no longer support the wetland vegetation and maintain hydric soils. Ifa wetland is lost, most if not all of its wetland functions are also…show more content… Elevation above the sea is 684 metres. The water runs down the slopes of Kilimanjaro in the deep valleys. These streams pour their water into the dam reservoir.Mwanga District is one of the six districts of Kilimanjaro Region. The District lies between latitude 3025” and Latitude 3055” South of the Equator and between longitudes 37025” and 37058” East of the Greenwich. It Shares borders with Simanjiro District to the West, Moshi Rural District to the North, The Republic of Kenya to the East and Same District to the