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Water Security Problems

(http://www.afrol.com/News/cha006_drought_env.htm)

The water problems that Africa is dealing with is not the amount of rainfall, but instead, where the rain is falling. Different locations of Africa, including Chad, are not getting the water they need. Lake Chad is quickly disappearing. "The lake,
bordered by Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad itself, has shrunk from 25,000 square kilometres (9,653 square miles) in the early 1960s to just 2,000 square kilometres (772 square miles) today. It is also "a victim of the relentless southern advance of the Sahara Desert towards the humid and fertile southern tract of West Africa." (2000 Wright- Water Policy)

(http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?srch=1&p=lake+chad&fr=sfp&n=20&fl=0)

With an insufficient amount of water, there are many problems that can occur. Some of these include:
1. Adding to the poverty levels as people grow malnourished because of crop failure.
2. Disease can occur since there is a need for an efficient water system. Standing water that the people have to resort to are dangerous.
3. With a 3% growth population each year, the need for water will only increase.
4. The need for water can provoke chaos among the communities, adding more controversy in an already controversial society.

(http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?srch=1&p=people+from+chad&fr=sfp&n=20&fl=0)

Another problem affecting Lake Chad is the Maga Dam built on the Logone River located in Cameroon. This project was intended to help the irrigation system so water did not have to be taken from the lake, however it further blocked water flow into the lake, adding to the drop in water levels. Another failing water project was the South Chad Irrigation Project which was one of the biggest irrigation ideas set up in the 1960s. It was meant to draw water for the lake to irrigate the crops, but it too added to the drop in water levels. (2000 Wright- Water Policy)

If the people of Chad do not learn and understand why the water problem is so important, nothing will be done for the future. Many programs have been placed to try to solve these issues, but more needs to be done. People are aware of the issue, and feel the need to make others aware of the growing problems as well. The main issue of water is that there is not enough, but to solve the problem will take a lot of work, and new suggestions.