Lake Naivasha

About Lake Naivasha:

• It is a shallow freshwater lake located in the southern Rift Valley in Kenya.
• It is considered to be of recent geological origin and is ringed by extinct or dormant volcanoes.
• It is fed by the perennial Malewa and Gilgil Rivers, which drain the Aberdare Mountains of central Kenya.
• Flora: Papyrus reeds (Cyperus papyrus) line much of the shoreline, with variable areas of submerged plants such as Potamogeton species, and floating rafts of the exotic water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes.
• Fauna: It is supporting a diverse community of waterbirds and many large mammals.
• In addition to the invaluable freshwater, it also supports large-scale and vital economic activities, mainly flower growing, fishing and geothermal power generation.
• It is designated as the Ramsar site.

What is Water hyacinth?

• The water hyacinth is native to South America and was reportedly introduced to Kenya in the 1980s 
• Usually, the presence of water hyacinth is linked to pollution. It is known to thrive in the presence of contaminants and grows quickly, and is considered the most invasive aquatic plant species in the world.
• It can prevent the penetration of sunlight and impact airflow, affecting the quality of aquatic life.

Q1: Why is Lake Naivasha famous?

Lake Naivasha is famous for its high populations of hippos and flamingos.

Source: TH

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