Lakes Baringo and Naivasha: Endorheic Freshwater Lakes of the Rift Valley (Kenya)

Natural and anthropogenic changes threatening the ecological and limnological integrity of Lake Baringo, Kenya: A Review

“…The Lake Baringo catchment is threatened by increasing pressure from climate change and rapid population growth (Omondi et al, 2016)…”

“…In addition, lakes Naivasha and Bogoria provide important sites for geothermal power exploration. Shallow endorheic lakes of the Kenyan Rift-valley have recently experienced high magnitude of catchment degradation that tends to exceed restoration efforts due to unprecedented growth in human population (Omondi et al, 2016). Human activities have been manifestly conspicuous in degraded lakes, including diversion of influent rivers into dams and impoundments, unplanned land use changes, water abstraction, pollution and sedimentation and introduction of invasive species into the lake and its catchment (Leavitt et al, 2009;UNEP, 2009;Hering et al, 2015).…”

“…The detectable impacts are revealed through multiple proxies which are compounded in changing physico-chemical parameters. The lake has a variable surface area which ranges between ~ 108 km 2 and 140 km 2 and covers an estimated catchment area of 6.82 square kilometers (Odada et al, 2006;Omondi et al, 2016). The lake is also recognized as a wetland of international importance and was gazette as a Ramsar site in the year 2002 (Omondi et al, 2016).…”

“…The lake has a variable surface area which ranges between ~ 108 km 2 and 140 km 2 and covers an estimated catchment area of 6.82 square kilometers (Odada et al, 2006;Omondi et al, 2016). The lake is also recognized as a wetland of international importance and was gazette as a Ramsar site in the year 2002 (Omondi et al, 2016). The lake has a shallow varying bathymetry which has reportedly declined since 1972 due to observable impacts of siltation, evaporation and diversion of inflowing rivers (Aloo, 2000;Odada & Olago, 2002;Odada et al, 2006).…”

Land Use/Land Cover Dynamics and Anthropogenic Driving Factors in Lake Baringo Catchment, Rift Valley, Kenya

“…They keep large numbers of cattle, which overgrazes the catchment vegetation leading to enhanced soil erosion, sedimentation in streams and the lake, and frequent flash floods [15]. The increasing human populations in the catchments have also led to the uncontrolled destruction of riparian forest, coupled with foraging by livestock ultimately leading to soil erosion and sedimentation [16]. The Changes in land cover can widespread effects at local, regional and global scales [17].…”