“Lake Victoria, shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, was named after the Queen of England and is the world’s largest tropical lake and the second largest freshwater lake. Covering a total of 69,000 square kilometres, the lake is as large as Ireland, and lies in the Rift Valley of East Africa.”
The water level of Africa’s giant has begun to noticeably sink from the early 1990′s when hanging climate began to change/reduce rainfall patterns. The Lake is also getting very sick. Why?
“The ecological health of Lake Victoria has been affected profoundly as a result of a rapidly growing population, clearance of natural vegetation along the shores, a booming fish-export industry, the disappearance of several fish species native to the lake, prolific growth of algae, and dumping of untreated effluent by several industries. Much of the damage is vast and irreversible. Traditional lifestyles of lakeshore communities have been disrupted and are crumbling.”
Even something as simple as the ferry system is being dramatically impacted.
“one ship which berths at Mwanza on a regular basis, the MV Victoria, has had its passenger doors repositioned because the old ones had become inaccessible.”
Both articles will provide all of the impact details from the introduction of new fish species, the displacement of traditional jobs, and the prolific damage from the dumping of untreated industrial waste.
With projections of rising atmospheric temperatures and interrupted rainfall patterns around the globe, increasing populations needing more water for farming and personal use, the proliferation of invasive species etc., etc., etc., Lake Victoria may become another Lake Chad, though, possibly and in spite of the negative factors, this could take a few generations to accomplish.
Lake Victoria’s Ports Grapple with Sinking Water Levels
Lake Victoria: a Sick Giant