ARUSHA, June 9 -- Scientists are warning that failure to act early to protect Monik River in Ngorongoro District could lead to costly environmental restoration in the future, as new research shows early signs of ecological stress linked to farming, livestock keeping and other land use activities along its catchment.

The warning comes from a study conducted by researchers led by Mussa Paul, Tumpale Mwakasangula, and Hassan Mrutu from the Water Institute (WI), and Isabela Mkude of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), which assessed seasonal and spatial changes in water quality along the river.

Although Monik River still meets water quality standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), t...