Kampala — Fragmentation of habitats and diversion of water resources for development of hydroelectric power is among the major threats to freshwater biodiversity.

This is according to a new report The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in Eastern Africa by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), released early this month.

According to the report, even though the region is trying to reduce its reliance on hydroelectric power by diversifying sources of energy to include gas and geothermal power plants, there is room for expansion.

"For example, it is estimated that the potential power to be generated through hydro-electric projects is 3,000 megawatts (MW) in Uganda, 3,800 MW in Tanzania and 2000 MW in Kenya," says the report.

Singled out among the threats to fresh water biodiversity is the planned controversial Bujagali hydropower project.

Other threats singled out include infrastructure needed for improved domestic water supply and irrigation purposes. The report comes at a time when the government is planning several water projects and ways of employing massive irrigation to boost agricultural production.

However, the IUCN report says planning to mitigate for potential impacts of such projects requires integration of reliable information on the distribution, ecology and threatened status of that biodiversity.

IUCN commissioned the study, the first among many planned through out Africa's regions, after realising that there was lack of readily available information on the status and distribution of inland freshwater species to decision makers and planners.

For this Eastern Africa study, information was gathered on more than 1,600 species and subspecies of freshwater fish, molluscs, dragonflies and crabs from Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

The study found that 82 percent of fish and 74 percent of molluscs are found only in this region, which makes their conservation all the more important.

The report further said that rural livelihoods and food security for many people dependent on wetland products will be improved if the policy makers adopted increased capacity for effective management and wise use of inland waters.