To make water last year-round, Kenyans in dry regions are building sand dams on seasonal rivers

By CARLOS MUREITHI
Associated Press

MAKUENI, Kenya (AP) — In drought-prone southeastern Kenya, residents are constructing structures along seasonal rivers to harvest water during rainy seasons for use during dry seasons. The structures, called “sand dams,” are made by building impermeable barriers across seasonal rivers. With the help of nonprofits, governments and others, residents have built hundreds of sand dams, and the usefulness of the structures has gained the attention of local governments of other dry counties, as well as other countries. The water harvesting is gaining traction as climate change makes drought more likely.