POLLUTION STATUS AND CRISIS OF LAKE ALAU: FACTORS INFLUENCING THE POLLUTION AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

Lake Alau, a vital freshwater reservoir near Maiduguri in Borno State, Nigeria, plays a crucial role in fisheries, irrigation, flood control, and domestic water supply. However, the lake faces severe pollution challenges resulting from agricultural runoff, urban waste disposal, deforestation, conflict-related displacement, and hydrological modifications. Studies reveal elevated levels of nutrients, suspended solids, heavy metals, and microbial pathogens, exceeding recommended water quality standards and threatening aquatic biodiversity, fisheries productivity, and public health. Pollution has caused a marked decline in fish populations, increased waterborne diseases, and jeopardized the livelihoods of surrounding communities. Contributing factors include weak policy enforcement, poor community awareness, and inadequate stakeholder engagement. Sustainable solutions such as integrated watershed management, stricter policy enforcement, eco-friendly farming practices, community-based waste management, and multi-stakeholder partnerships are urgently needed. This collective approach can help restore Lake Alau's ecological integrity and secure its long-term benefits for the region.