Abstract
The water level of Lake Tanganyika has constantly fluctuated over time, flooding certain areas variably during periods of high water, causing immeasurable material and human damage. To prevent such damage, it is necessary to determine exactly which areas are always subject to flooding. This study, based on documentation, field surveys and satellite image processing using remote sensing techniques, aimed to identify the variation in water levels in the Nyangara marsh and Lake Tanganyika over the decade 2011–2021, to map the flood-prone areas in its northern and northeastern parts and to document the impact of these floods on riparian populations, in order to propose possible solutions to avoid damage in future years. Our results show that 2014, 2016 and 2019 were the years with the lowest water levels (especially for the Nyangara marsh), while 2017 and 2021 were the years of heavy flooding with serious negative impacts on riparian populations, namely the loss of inhabited and arable land, the disruption of socio-economic activities and environmental degradation. The survey revealed that the relocation of riverside populations, the creation of a buffer zone between the lake/marsh and dwellings, reforestation and the application of the law relating to the respect of 50m of shoreline are the priority solutions for mitigating the consequences of these floods. In this work, we discuss these proposals from the respondents and highlight more practical flood mitigation strategies adapted to this environment.