Abstract:
This ecological monitoring survey No. 22 (4th -10th April 2018) on the Upper Victoria Nile is the thirteenth one to be undertaken after completion of the 250 MW Bujagali hydropower plant that was commissioned in September 2012. During the post construction period, ecological monitoring surveys have been conducted at the original two sampling transects Kalange-Makwanzi and Buyala-Kikubamutwe and third one (mid-reservoir) established in the mid reach (30 m deep) of the new reservoir to track any developments/changes in the water environment and aquatic biota. In the post-construction monitoring surveys, the assessments of algae, zooplankton and benthic macro-invertebrates which had been dropped since April 2008 were reverted to. This report presents observations made on the above-mentioned ecological aspects of the Upper Victoria Nile and draws comparisons of the present results with those made in the previous surveys at the three transects.