Quaternary Environments of the Magadi Basin: Geochemical and Microfossil Stratigraphic Variability

Spatial and temporal geochemical variability in lacustrine sedimentation in the East African Rift System: Evidence from the Kenya Rift and regional analyses

“…The Quaternary evolution of Lake Magadi reflects, at least in part, the evolution of a spring‐filled basin, which developed because of a relative reduction in the volume of fluvial input caused by increasing Quaternary aridity, loss of overflow from adjacent basins and drainage diversion caused by grid faulting. However, the basin lies in a tectonic sump at the southern end of the eastern branch of the EARS, and has been a focus for meteoric and hydrothermal water inputs that have maintained the lake despite basin segmentation (Becht et al ., ; Owen et al ., ).…”

“…Subsequently, the lake(s) became meromictic with dense saline bottom waters below a dilute monimolimnion fed by inflowing streams (Fig. , stage ii; Owen et al ., ). Reduced river inflow would have decreased suspended and bedloads, with continuing and/or increasing, sediment‐poor, spring contributions that led to an increase in solute supply relative to clastic input.…”