Mount Kenya is a source of water

 

Forests protect watersheds that provide drinking water to many cities and rural communities.

 

Forests provide natural filtration and water storage systems.

 

In their natural and healthy state, riparian forests help to keep the water in streams clear.

 

The ability of forest vegetation and soils to absorb and filter water also increases groundwater.

 

This same capacity to absorb water helps moderate runoff during rainstorms.

 

Trees reduce storm water runoff and cut down on pollutants that enter water reservoirs and rivers.

 

Mount Kenya is one of Kenya’s five major water towers and catchment area for the largest river in Kenya, River Tana and the Ewaso Ng'iro North.

 

Several rivers flow from the mountain providing water to thousands of people and their livestock downstream.

 

The Mount Kenya ecosystem provides water directly for over 2 million people. Rivers which start on Mount Kenya are the tributaries of two large Kenyan rivers: the Tana and the Ewaso Ng'iro rivers.

 

A lot of Mount Kenyan rivers flow into the Sagana River which itself is a tributary of the Tana, which it joins at the Masinga Reservoir.

 

The rivers found in the northern part of the mountain including, the Burguret, Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Likii, and Sirimon flow into the Ewaso Ng'iro.

 

The rivers located in the south-west, such as Keringa, Thegu and Nairobi flow into the Sagana and then into the Tana.

 

Rivers flowing directly into the Tana River are found in the south and east of the mountain and they include Mutonga, Nithi, Thuchi and Nyamindi.

 

The mountain serves important socio-economic role in development like provision of water for farming and electricity generation.

 

Indeed, the biggest rice irrigation scheme in Kenya is supported by rivers from Mt. Kenya. Small scale irrigation activities by small scale farmers are found all around the mountain, hence contributing considerably to food security.