Rift Valley lakes
Rift Valley lakes | |
---|---|
Location | East Africa |
Coordinates | 3°00′N 36°20′E / 3.000°N 36.333°E |
Type | Series of lakes |
The Rift Valley lakes are a series of lakes in the
The Rift Valley lakes are well known for the evolution of at least 800 cichlid fish species that live in their waters. More species are expected to be discovered.[1]
The World Wide Fund for Nature has designated these lakes as one of its Global 200 priority ecoregions for conservation.[citation needed]
Geology
Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika have formed in the various valleys of the East African Rift zone.
Ecology
Lake Kivu's "still waters ... hide another face: dissolved within are billions of cubic meters of flammable methane and more still of carbon dioxide, the result of volcanic gases seeping in."[2]
Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes national park
The
The major ones are
- Lake Abaya (areal extent 1,162 square kilometres (449 sq mi), elevation 1,285 metres (4,216 ft), maximum depth 13.1 metres (43 ft)), the largest Ethiopian Rift Valley lake by surface area
- Lake Chamo (areal extent 551 square kilometres (213 sq mi), elevation 1,235 metres (4,052 ft), maximum depth 14 metres (46 ft))
- Lake Zwayor Dambal (areal extent 485 square kilometres (187 sq mi), elevation 1,636 metres (5,367 ft), maximum depth 8.9 metres (29 ft))
- Lake Shala (areal extent 329 square kilometres (127 sq mi), elevation 1,558 metres (5,112 ft), maximum depth 266 metres (873 ft)), the deepest Ethiopian Rift Valley lake and the largest by water volume
- Koka Reservoir (areal extent 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi), elevation 1,590 metres (5,220 ft), maximum depth not listed)
- Lake Langano (areal extent 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi), elevation 1,585 metres (5,200 ft), maximum depth 46 metres (151 ft))
- Lake Abijatta (areal extent 205 square kilometres (79 sq mi), elevation 1,573 metres (5,161 ft), maximum depth 14 metres (46 ft))
- Lake Awasa(areal extent 129 square kilometres (50 sq mi), elevation 1,708 metres (5,604 ft), maximum depth 10 metres (33 ft))
Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, lies in the Ethiopian highlands north of the Rift Valley; however, it is not a Rift Valley lake.[4]
Eastern Rift Valley lakes
South of the Ethiopian highlands, the rift valley splits into two major troughs. The Eastern Rift is home to the
Kenya
The Kenyan section of the Rift Valley is home to eight lakes, of which three are freshwater and the rest alkaline. Of the latter, the shallow soda lakes of the Eastern Rift Valley have crystallised salt turning the shores white and are famous for the large flocks of flamingo that feed on crustaceans.
- Lake Baringo: second largest of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes.
- 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi), elevation 970 metres (3,180 ft), freshwater
- Lake Bogoria: shallow soda lake, a national preserve.
- 34 square kilometres (13 sq mi), elevation 990 metres (3,250 ft)
- Lake Elmenteita: shallow soda lake.
- Suguta Valley just south of Lake Turkana. Formerly Lake Suguta
- Lake Magadi: shallow soda lake near the southern border with Tanzania.
- Lake Naivasha:
- 160 square kilometres (62 sq mi) although it varies somewhat with rainfall, elevation 1,890 metres (6,200 ft), freshwater
- Lake Nakuru: shallow soda lake, has been a national park since 1968.
- 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi), elevation 1,759 metres (5,771 ft)
- Lake Turkana: the largest of the Kenyan lakes, on the border of Kenya and Ethiopia.
- 6,405 square kilometres (2,473 sq mi), elevation 360 metres (1,180 ft), freshwater
Tanzania
All the lakes in the Tanzanian section of this group are alkaline:
- Lake Eyasi: shallow soda lake
- Lake Makati: shallow soda lake
- Lake Manyara: shallow soda lake
- East African halophytics ecoregion.
Western or Albertine Rift Valley lakes
The lakes of the Western or
Lake Victoria (elevation 1,134 metres (3,720 ft)), with an area of 68,800 square kilometres (26,600 sq mi), is the largest lake in Africa. It is not in the Rift Valley, instead occupying a depression between the eastern and western rifts formed by the uplift of the rifts to either side. Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, and Malawi are sometimes collectively known as the African Great Lakes.
The Western Rift Valley lakes are fresh water and home to an extraordinary number of species. Approximately 1,500
- Lake Albert (5,300 square kilometres (2,000 sq mi), elevation 615 metres (2,018 ft)) is the northernmost lake in the western rift.
- Lake Edward (2,325 square kilometres (898 sq mi), elevation 912 metres (2,992 ft)) drains north into Lake Albert
- Lake Kivu (2,220 square kilometres (860 sq mi), elevation 1,460 metres (4,790 ft)) empties into Lake Tanganyika via the Ruzizi River.
- River Congo via the Lukuga River.
Southern Rift Valley lakes (Tanzania and Malawi)
The Southern Rift Valley lakes are like the Western Rift Valley lakes in that, with one exception, they are freshwater lakes.
- Lake Rukwa (about 5,670 square kilometres (2,190 sq mi) but quite variable) in Tanzania is the alkaline exception, lying south-east of Tanganyika, and has no outlet.
- Zambezi River. Also known as Lake Nyasa.
- Lake Malombe (450 square kilometres (170 sq mi)) is on the Shire River.
- Lake Chilwa (1,750 square kilometres (680 sq mi), elevation 622 metres (2,041 ft)) has no outlet but extensive wetlands. It is the southernmost of the Rift Valley lakes.
Other lakes of the Great Rift Valley
- Lake Mweru (5,120 square kilometres (1,980 sq mi)[6] elevation 922 m) lies in the Lake Mweru-Luapula graben, which is a branch off the Albertine rift.
- endorheicbut may overflow into Lake Mweru at times of very high flood.
References
- ^ a b "WWF Global 200 Ecoregions – Rift Valley Lakes (182)". www.worldwildlife.org. Archived from the original on December 22, 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "What Lies Beneath". The Economist. 2016-03-12.
- ^ Hynes, H. B. N. "Tudorancea, C. & Taylor W.D. (Eds) Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes". www.euronet.nl. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8069-6906-0.
- S2CID 24637697.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - S2CID 86387950.