Effects of Land Use on Spring and Streamflow Quality in River Malaget Sub-Catchment, Kericho County, Kenya

Various studies have found that effects of land use on water quality are attributable to about 80 % of diseases in the developing world. The study’s main objective was to evaluate the effects of land use on spring and streamflow quality in River Malaget sub-catchment. Thirty-three sampling points were selected by stratified sampling, i.e., ten springs and one river point per agro-ecological zones, namely: Tea-Dairy-Forest Zone, Wheat-Maize-Barley Zone and Marginal Coffee Zone. Water samples from each zone were tested on site for temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, DO, and total dissolved solids. BOD, E.coli, fluorides, total hardness, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and phosphates were tested in the laboratory. Pillai’s trace in MANOVA, revealed a significant variability in the distribution of water quality parameters in relation to land use as the means of the three agro-ecological zones were significantly different, V =1.535, F (20, 44) =7.262, p p > .05; electrical conductivity, F (2, 30) = 14.730, p > .05; turbidity, F (2, 30) = 3.600, p > .05; and nitrates, F (2, 30) = 5.879, p > .05. In conclusion, indeed, land use has had an impact on streamflow and spring water quality in the study area. It is recommended that water is treated before drinking and all springs are protected fully against contamination.