Author(s)

Karimou Dia Hantchi¹, Bouba Hassane^2*, Habsatou Ousmane², Faraâtou Issa Saley Balla³, Moussa Konaté², Zibo Garba³

¹Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Dan Dicko Dankoulodo University, Maradi, Niger.
²Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Abdou Moumouni University, Niamey, Niger.
³Department of Digitization of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Techniques, University of Dosso, Dosso, Niger.

The present study concerns the lowlands of the Birnin Lokoyo watershed located in the Matankari Rural Commune (Southwestern borders of the large Iullemmeden basin in the Niger). Dominated by the Birnin Lokoyo pond, this watershed faced with the continuous silting up of the minor bed, dissipates further upstream in the east, so that it moves downstream to the west for the benefit of the populations of Matankari city. The main objective of this work is to analyze the representative elements of the new climatic and environmental situation as well as the various factors determining the surface conditions in the watershed. The methodological approach is based on documentary research, field observations, individual surveys and interviews with targeted groups. The results show that the silting up of the lowlands is the result of the concomitant degradation of the plant cover and the soils, which, as a result, triggered the development of crusting surfaces and area erosion on the slopes. The study underlined the importance of endogenous knowledge in the choice of remedies against the silting up of lowlands. In addition, rational land management practices on plateaus and structures (within the watershed) do not seem to be in phase with topographical factors and the tectonic framework. This work is part of the vision of better management of glacis on the banks, but also of sills subject to regressive erosion upstream and in order to guide the policies of resilience of the populations.

Niger, Birnin Lokoyo, Wetlands, Hydroclimatic Variability, Soil

Hantchi, K. , Hassane, B. , Ousmane, H. , Balla, F. , Konaté, M. and Garba, Z. (2022) Dynamics and Vulnerability of Hydrogeomorphological Units to the Degradation of Climatic Conditions in the Watershed of the Birnin Lokoyo Pond (Iullemmeden Basin, Southwestern Niger). Journal of Environmental Protection, 13, 233-260. doi: 10.4236/jep.2022.132015.