East Africa

New Site Development and Characterization

Eighth Work Plan, Kenya Research 1 (KR1)

James Bowman and Christopher Langdon
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Oregon State University
Corvallis, USA

Karen Veverica and Thomas Popma
Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures
Auburn University
Auburn, USA

Abstract

The resident researcher arrived at the Sagana Fish Culture Farm on 31 March 1997 and pond renovation was begun on 10 April. Four of the farm's one-acre ponds were split into twelve experimental ponds and five fingerling production ponds. Activities to complete renovation through July 1997 included drain pipe installation, inlet reinforcement, and planting grass on levees. Several of the renovated ponds still require some excavation to ensure that depths and bottom contours are uniform among all experimental ponds. Each of the new experimental ponds will have a surface area of 800 m² and minimum and maximum water depths of 60 and 100 cm, respectively. The ponds have sufficient freeboard so that water levels may be raised to achieve maximum depths of 120 cm and surface areas of 825 m². Part of the earthen main water supply canal was lined with concrete.

Four of the farm's quarter-acre ponds were put into production after an extended period of disuse. Site development and characterization activities to be completed through September and October 1997 include: upgrading the chemistry laboratory; obtaining laboratory, farm, and office supplies, a datalogger system, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle; and characterizing the site in terms of soil, water, and climatic attributes.