(28 Feb 2001) Mute
XFA
Lake Chad, once one of the African continent's largest bodies of fresh water, is shrinking at a shocking rate.
The culprits are climate change and human demand for water.
Once a great lake close to the size of North America's Lake Erie, Lake Chad is now a ghost of its former self.
According to a study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working with N-A-S-A, the lake is now one twentieth (1/20) of the size it was 35 years ago.
Found at the intersection of four different West African countries, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, Lake Chad has been the source water for massive irrigation projects.
Also, the region is extremely sensitive to climactic fluctuations and has experienced a significant decline in rainfall since the early 1960's.
In 1983 the amount of water used for irrigation began to increase.
Ultimately between 1983 and 1994 the amount of water diverted for irrigation quadrupled in comparison to the amount used in the previous 25 years.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
