6.3.8

Case Study: Kenya's Sand Dams

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Sand Dams in Machakos District, Kenya

Kenya is a low-income country. It has designed special dams to capture water which would otherwise be lost as surface runoff. Kenya's sand dams are cost-effective and have been built in the Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui districts.

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How do sand dams work?

  • Sand dams store water in the rainy season under a layer of sand. Water gets stuck amongst the sand particles, creating a layer of trapped water.
  • In the summer, when other water sources dry up, the water is still stored under the sand.
  • Local people can access the water through wells or taps, giving them drinking water in the hottest and driest part of the year.
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Advantages of sand dams

  • Sand dams are cheap, don't need any special materials, and give access to water in the driest months of the year.

Jump to other topics

1The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1Natural Hazards

1.2Tectonic Hazards

1.3Weather Hazards

1.4Climate Change

2The Living World

3Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1The UK Physical Landscape

3.2Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3River Landscapes in the UK

3.4Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4Urban Issues & Challenges

5The Changing Economic World

6The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1Resource Management

6.2Food

6.3Water

6.4Energy

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