Effect of Human Induced Sediments Inflow on Habitat Quality in River Chanchaga, Minna, Nigeria

A developing nation like Nigeria should be much concern on environmental management particularly in the area of drinking water, air, soil or general ecosystem. Sediment inflow has become public concerns on aquatic life and habitat loss as well as fragmentations of biodiversity of River Chanchaga. The study assessed the effects of human induced sediment inflows on habitat quality in River Chanchaga. The inhabitant population data, rainfall data and remote sensing data were collected to determine sediment inflow and land use cover of the study area. A total of 250 people accounting for 0.5% of the total population were interviewed, making it eight per each community in thirty communities along the study area. The findings of the study revealed a significant correlation between rainfall and runoff at r = 0.991 accounting for 99% indicating strong positive relationship between them. Pearson correlation is 99% with remain 1% for other parameters like wind, institutional and industrial activities accounting for negligible percentage that are responsible for sediment inflow of River Chanchaga as depicted in Table 3. The implication of this is that the higher the mean monthly rainfall, the higher the runoff volume in River Chanchaga, which may result into subsequent increase of sediments inflow into the river. The result from the study is that land use covers have been affected by population increase, which have direct impact on soil erosion that influences sediment inflow into the study area. The study recommended that anthropogenic activities that lead to generation and transportation of huge volume of debris and sediment loads along River Chanchaga should be regulated to control or reduce aquatic habitat quality damage and to ensure making good use of aquatic resources. There should be programme to enlighten general public on implications of indiscriminant human activities that can affect habitat and water quality along the study.