Lake Bogoria – Kenya

Lake Bogoria (formerly known as Lake Hannington) is located at 0˚ 11'' - 0˚ 20'' N latitude and 36˚ 07'' E - 36˚ 15'' E longitude, and at  963 m above sea level. It is one of a series of alkaline saline lakes in the Eastern (or Gregory) Rift Valley. The lake covers an area of approximately 34 sq. km and has a catchment area of 1,207 sq. km (present study). Lying on the floor of the Rift Valley, the lake is 17 km long and has a maximum width of 4 km.

The maximum recorded depth of the lake is 8.5 m. The lake depth and area vary considerably from year to year, due to climatic variation, primarily rainfall, evaporation and evapo-transpiration; the water drainage into the lake; underground discharges into the lake; and the water outlets from the lake. Lake Bogoria is an endhoreic soda lake with hot springs, geysers and fumaroles along its shore. It is fed by the hot springs, the geysers, four seasonal rivers and numerous seasonal streams. The rivers are Waseges-Sandai, Loboi, Emsos and Mogun. The Waseges River, which enters on the northern edge of the lake from the Nyandarua Plateau, changes its name to Sandai River in the section between the escarpment and the lake.

The Lake’s salinity is generally about 35 %, conductivity ranges from 10 mS/cm to 70 mS/cm with an average alkalinity of 133.9 meq/l, and the pH range falls between 9.8 and 10.3. The lake is a feeding ground for the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor), and as many as 2 million have been recorded at one time.

Partner Organisation

World Wide Fund for Nature

Sirma Chepkonga