Lake Victoria

8/15/2021 Lake Victoria - Wikipedia
Coordinates: 1°S 33°E
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria (Dholuo: Nam Lolwe; Luganda:
Lake Victoria
'Nnalubaale; Kinyarwanda: Nyanza; also Ukerewe)[6][7] is
one of the African Great Lakes. Though having multiple
local language names, the lake was renamed after Queen
Victoria by the explorer John Hanning Speke, the first
Briton to document it in 1858, while on an expedition with
Richard Francis Burton.[8][9]
With a surface area of approximately 59,947 km2

(23,146 sq mi),[10][11] Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake
by area, the world's largest tropical lake,[12] and the world's
second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after Lake Landsat 7 imagery of Lake Victoria
Superior in North America.[13] In terms of volume, Lake
Victoria is the world's ninth-largest continental lake,
containing about 2,424 km3 (1.965 × 109 acre⋅ft) of
water.[11][14] Lake Victoria occupies a shallow depression in
Africa. The lake has a maximum depth of between 80 and
84 m (262 and 276 ft)[11][14] and an average depth of 40 m
(130 ft).[15] Its catchment area covers 169,858 km2 Lake Victoria
(65,583 sq mi).[16] The lake has a shoreline of 7,142 km
(4,438 mi) when digitized at the 1:25,000 level,[17] with
islands constituting 3.7% of this length.[18] The lake's area
is divided among three countries: Kenya occupies 6%
(4,100 km2 or 1,600 sq mi), Uganda 45% (31,000 km2 or
12,000 sq mi), and Tanzania 49% (33,700 km2 or
13,000 sq mi).[19] Location African Great Lakes
Coordinates 1°S 33°E
The lake includes many species of fish that inhabit
nowhere else, especially cichlids. Invasive fish, such as the Native name Nam Lolwe (Dholuo)
Nile perch, have driven many endemic species to 'Nnalubaale (Luganda)
extinction. Nyanza (Kinyarwanda)
Ukerewe (undetermined)
Primary inflows Kagera River
Contents Primary White Nile (river, known
Geology outflows as the "Victoria Nile" as it
flows out of the lake)
Hydrology and limnology
Catchment area 169,858 km2
Bathymetry
(65,583 sq mi)
Native wildlife 229,815 km2

Mammals (88,732 sq mi) basin [1]
Reptiles
Basin countries Burundi, Kenya,
Cichlid fish
Rwanda, Tanzania, and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Victoria 1/19
Other fish Uganda[1]

Crustaceans
Max. length 359 km (223 mi)[2]
Molluscs
Max. width 337 km (209 mi)[2]
Spiders
Surface area 59,947 km2
Fisheries
(23,146 sq mi)[3]
Environmental issues
Average depth 41 m (135 ft)[3]
Invasive fish
Water hyacinth invasion Max. depth 81 m (266 ft)[3]
Pollution Water volume 2,424 km3 (582 cu mi)[3]

Environmental data Shore length1 7,142 km (4,438 mi)[3]
History and exploration Surface 1,135 m (3,724 ft)[4]
Nalubaale Dam elevation
Water use Islands 985 (Ukerewe Island,

Lamadi water scheme Tanzania;Ssese
Transport Islands,[3] Uganda;
Maboko Island, Kenya)[5]
See also
Settlements Bukoba, Tanzania
References
Mwanza, Tanzania
External links
Musoma, Tanzania
Kisumu, Kenya
Geology Kendu Bay, Kenya
Homa Bay, Kenya
Geologically, Lake Victoria is relatively young at about
400,000 years old. It formed when westward-flowing Kampala, Uganda
rivers were dammed by an upthrown crustal block.[20] Entebbe, Uganda
During its geological history, Lake Victoria went through Jinja, Uganda
changes ranging from its present shallow depression,
1
through to what may have been a series of much smaller Shore length is not a well-defined measure.
lakes.[18] Geological cores taken from its bottom

show Lake Victoria has dried up completely at least
three times since it formed.[20] These drying cycles
are probably related to past ice ages, which were
times when precipitation declined globally.[20] Lake
Victoria last dried out about 17,300 years ago, and it
refilled 14,700 years ago[21] as the African humid
period began.[22]
Hydrology and limnology Victoria Nyanza. The black line indicates Stanley's
route.
Lake Victoria receives 80 percent of its water from
direct rainfall.[18] Average evaporation on the lake is
between 2.0 and 2.2 metres (6.6 and 7.2 ft) per year, almost double the precipitation of riparian
areas.[23] Lake Victoria receives its water additionally from rivers, and thousands of small streams.
The Kagera River is the largest river flowing into this lake, with its mouth on the lake's western shore.
Lake Victoria is drained solely by the Nile River near Jinja, Uganda, on the lake's northern shore.[24]
In the Kenya sector, the main influent rivers are the Sio, Nzoia,
Yala, Nyando, Sondu Miriu, Mogusi, and Migori.
The only outflow from Lake Victoria is the Nile River, which exits
the lake near Jinja, Uganda. In terms of contributed water, this
makes Lake Victoria the principal source of the longest branch of
the Nile. However, the most distal source of the Nile Basin, and
therefore the ultimate source of the Nile, is more often considered
to be one of the tributary rivers of the Kagera River (the exact
Topographical map of Lake Victoria
tributary remains undetermined), and which originates in either
Rwanda or Burundi. The uppermost section of the Nile is
generally known as the Victoria Nile until it reaches Lake Albert.
Although it is a part of the same river system known as the White
Nile and is occasionally referred to as such, strictly speaking this
name does not apply until after the river crosses the Uganda
border into South Sudan to the north.
The lake exhibits eutrophic conditions. In 1990–1991, oxygen

concentrations in the mixed layer were higher than in 1960–1961,
with nearly continuous oxygen supersaturation in surface waters.
Oxygen concentrations in hypolimnetic waters (i.e. the layer of
water that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, and
remains perpetually cold) were lower in 1990–1991 for a longer
period than in 1960–1961, with values of less than 1 mg per litre
(< 0.4 gr/cu ft) occurring in water as shallow as 40 metres
(130 ft) compared with a shallowest occurrence of greater than 50
metres (160 ft) in 1961. The changes in oxygenation are Lake Victoria and the Great Rift
considered consistent with measurements of higher algal biomass Valley
and productivity.[25] These changes have arisen for multiple
reasons: successive burning within its basin,[26] soot and ash
from which has been deposited over the lake's wide area; from increased nutrient inflows via
rivers,[27] and from increased pollution associated with settlement along its shores.[28]
Bathymetry
The lake is considered a shallow lake considering its large
geographic area with a maximum depth of approximately 80
metres (260 ft) and an average depth of 40 metres (130 ft).[30] A
2016 project digitized ten-thousand points and created the first
true bathymetric map of the lake.[29] The deepest part of the lake
is offset to the east of the lake near Kenya and the lake is
generally shallower in the west along the Ugandan shoreline and
the south along the Tanzanian shoreline.[29]
Native wildlife
Mammals Lake Victoria bathymetric model[29]
Many mammal species live in the region of Lake Victoria, and some of these are closely associated
with the lake itself and the nearby wetlands. Among these are the hippopotamus, African clawless
otter, spotted-necked otter, marsh mongoose, sitatunga, bohor reedbuck, defassa waterbuck, cane
rats, and giant otter shrew.[31]
Reptiles
Lake Victoria and its wetlands has a large population of Nile crocodiles, as well as African helmeted
turtles, variable mud turtles, and Williams' mud turtle.[32] The Williams' mud turtle is restricted to
Lake Victoria and other lakes, rivers, and swamps in the upper Nile basin.[32]
Cichlid fish
Lake Victoria formerly was very rich in fish, including many

endemics, but a high percentage of these became extinct during
the last 50 years.[35] The main group in Lake Victoria is the
haplochromine cichlids (Haplochromis sensu lato) with more
than 500 species, almost all endemic,[21][36][37] and including an
estimated 300 that still are undescribed.[38] This is far more
species of fish than any other lake in the world, except Lake
Malawi.[39] These are the result of a rapid adaptive radiation in Unlike many other Lake Victoria
the last circa 15,000 years.[21][36][40] Their extraordinary cichlids, Haplochromis nyererei
diversity and speed of evolution have been the subjects for many remains common.[33] Compared to
scientists studying the forces that drive the richness of life several other cichlids, its eyes are
everywhere.[36][41] The Victoria haplochromines are part of an particularly sensitive to light,
older group of more than 700 closely related species, also especially red, which is less affected
including those of several smaller lakes in the region, notably by the decrease in water clarity
Kyoga, Edward–George, Albert, and Kivu.[21][36] caused by eutrophication than short
wavelength colors[34]
Most of these lakes are relatively shallow (like Victoria) and part
of the present-day upper Nile basin. The exception is Lake Kivu,
which is part of the present-day Congo River basin, but is believed to have been connected to Lakes
Edward and Victoria by rivers until the uplifting of parts of the East African Rift.[21] This deep lake
may have functioned as an "evolutionary reservoir" for this haplochromine group in periods where
other shallower lakes in the region dried out, as happened to Lake Victoria about 15,000 years ago.[21]
In recent history only Lake Kyoga was easily accessible to Victoria cichlids, as further downstream
movement by the Victoria Nile (to Lake Albert) is prevented by a series of waterfalls, notably
Murchison. In contrast, the Owen Falls (now flooded by a dam) between Victoria and Kyoga were
essentially a series of rapids that did not effectively block fish movements between the two lakes.[42]
The Victoria haplochromines are distinctly sexually dimorphic (males relatively brightly colored;
females dull),[45] and their ecology is extremely diverse, falling into at least 16 groups, including
detritivores, zooplanktivores, insectivores, prawn-eaters, molluscivores and piscivores.[41] As a result
of predation by the introduced Nile perch, eutrophication and other changes to the ecosystem, it is
estimated that at least 200 species (about 40 percent) of Lake Victoria haplochromines have become
extinct,[37][41][46] including more than 100 undescribed species.[38] Initially it was feared that this
number was even higher, by some estimates 65 percent of the total species,[47] but several species that
were feared extinct have been rediscovered after the Nile perch started to decline in the 1990s.[41][48]
Several of the remaining species are seriously threatened and additional extinctions are possible.[49]
Some species have survived in nearby small satellite lakes,[48]

have survived in refugias among rocks or papyrus sedges
(protecting them from the Nile perch),[50] or have adapted to the
human-induced changes in the lake itself.[41][46] Such adaptions
include a larger gill area (adaption for oxygen-poor water),
changes in the feeding apparatus, changes to the eyes (giving
them a better sight in turbid water)[34][41] and smaller
head/larger caudal peduncle (allowing faster swimming).[51] The
piscivorous (affected by both predation and competition from Haplochromis thereuterion survives
[52]
Nile perch ), molluscivorous and insectivorous haplochromines in low numbers.[43] Initially feared
were particularly hard hit with many extinctions. [41] Others have extinct, when rediscovered it had
become extinct in their pure form, but survive as hybrids between changed habitat (from near surface
close relatives (especially among the detritivores).[37][41] The to rocky outcrops) and feeding
zooplanktivores have been least affected and in the late 1990s had behavior (from surface insects to
reached densities similar to, or above, the densities before the insect larvae)[44]
drastic declines, although consisting of fewer species and often
switching their diet towards macroinvertebrates.[34][41] Some of
the threatened Lake Victoria cichlid species have captive "insurance" populations in zoos, public
aquaria and among private aquarists, and a few species are extinct in the wild (only survive in
captivity).[53][54][55][56][57]
Before the mass extinction that has occurred among the lake's cichlids in the last 50 years, about 90
percent of the native fish species in the lake were haplochromines.[35] Disregarding the
haplochromines, the only native Victoria cichlids are two critically endangered tilapia, the Singida
tilapia or ngege (Oreochromis esculentus) and Victoria tilapia (O. variabilis).[58][59]
In 1927-1928 Michael Graham conducted the first ever systematic Fisheries Survey of Lake Victoria.
In his official report of the expedition, Graham wrote that "The ngege or satu Tilapia esculenta, is the
most important food fish of the lake, whether for native or non-native consumption. No other fish
equals it in the quality of the flesh. It is convenient size for trade, travels well and is found in much
greater numbers than other important fish, such as semutundu (Luganda), Bagrus sp.".[60]
Furthermore, Graham noted that the introduction of the European flax gill net of 5 inch mesh had
undoubtedly caused a diminution in the number of ngege in those parts of the Kavirondo Gulf, the
northern shore of the lake, the Sesse Islands and Smith's Sound which are conveniently situated close
to markets.[60] Survey catches in 1927-28 included several Haplochromis species that are now
thought to be extinct, including: Haplochromis flavipinnis, Haplochromis gowersii, Haplochromis
longirostris, Haplochromis macrognathus, Haplochromis michaeli, Haplochromis nigrescens,
Haplochromis prognathus.
As well as being due to the introduction of Nile Perch, the extinction of cichlids in the genus
Haplochromis has also been blamed on the lake's eutrophication. The fertility of tropical waters
depends on the rate at which nutrients can be brought into solution. The influent rivers of Lake
Victoria provide few nutrients to the lake in relation to its size. Because of this, most of Lake Victoria's
nutrients are thought to be locked up in lake-bottom deposits.[18][61] By itself, this vegetative matter
decays slowly. Animal flesh decays considerably faster, however, so the fertility of the lake is
dependent on the rate at which these nutrients can be taken up by fish and other organisms.[61] There
is little doubt that Haplochromis played an important role in returning detritus and plankton back
into solution.[62][63][64] With some 80 percent of Haplochromis species feeding off detritus, and
equally capable of feeding off one another, they represented a tight, internal recycling system, moving
nutrients and biomass both vertically and horizontally through the water column, and even out of the
lake via predation by humans and terrestrial animals. The removal of Haplochromis, however, may
have contributed to the increasing frequency of algal blooms,[27][63][64] which may in turn be
responsible for mass fish kills.[27]
Other fish
The non-cichlid native fish include African tetras (Brycinus), cyprinids (Enteromius, Garra, Labeo,
Labeobarbus, Rastrineobola and Xenobarbus), airbreathing catfish (Clariallabes, Clarias and
Xenoclarias), bagrid catfish (Bagrus), loach catfish (Amphilius and Zaireichthys), silver butter catfish
(Schilbe intermedius), Synodontis squeaker catfish, Nothobranchius killifish, poeciliids
(Aplocheilichthys and Micropanchax), the spiny eel Mastacembelus frenatus, elephantfish
(Gnathonemus, Hippopotamyrus, Marcusenius, Mormyrus, Petrocephalus, and Pollimyrus), the
climbing gourami Ctenopoma muriei and marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus).[65]
At a genus level, most of these are widespread in Africa, but the very rare Xenobarbus and
Xenoclarias are endemic to the lake, and the common Rastrineobola is near-endemic.[65]
Crustaceans
Four species of freshwater crabs are known from Lake Victoria: Potamonautes niloticus is widespread
in the lake and P. emini has been recorded from the vicinity of Bukoba in Tanzania, but both are also
found elsewhere in Africa.[66][67] The last were first scientifically described in 2017 and very little is
known about them: P. entebbe is only known from near Entebbe (the only known specimen was
collected in 1955 and it is unknown if it was in or near the lake) and P. busungwe only at Busungwe
Island in the northwestern part of the lake. The latter likely is the smallest African freshwater crab
with a carapace width up to about 1.6 cm (0.6 in), although P. kantsyore of Kagera River, and
Platythelphusa maculata and P. polita of Lake Tanganyika are almost as small.[68]
The only shrimp/prawn is Caridina nilotica,[69] which is common and widespread in Lake
Victoria.[41]
Molluscs
Lake Victoria is home to 28 species of freshwater snails (e.g., Bellamya, Biomphalaria, Bulinus,
Cleopatra, Gabbiella, and Melanoides), including 12 endemic species/subspecies.[70][71] There are 17
species of bivalves (Corbicula, Coelatura, Sphaerium, and Byssanodonta), including 6 endemic
species/subspecies.[70][72] It is likely that undescribed species of snails remain. Conversely, genetic
studies indicate that some morphologically distinctive populations, traditionally regarded as separate
species, may only be variants of single species.[38] Two of the snail genera, Biomphalaria and Bulinus,
are intermediate hosts of the parasite bilharzia (schistosomiasis). Human infections by this parasite
are common at Lake Victoria.[73] This may increase as a result of the spread of the invasive water
hyacinth (an optimum snail habitat),[74] and the loss of many snail-eating cichlids in the lake.[75]
Spiders
Evarcha culicivora is a species of jumping spider (family Salticidae) found only around Lake Victoria
in Kenya and Uganda. It feeds primarily on female mosquitos.[76]
Fisheries
Lake Victoria supports Africa's largest inland fishery (as of
1997).[77] Initially the fishery involved native species, especially
tilapia and haplochromine cichlids, but also catfish (Bagrus,
Clarias, Synodontis and silver butter catfish), elephantfish, ningu
(Labeo victorianus) and marbled lungfish (Protopterus
aethiopicus).[78][79] Some of these, including tilapia and ningu
(Labeo victorianus), had already declined in the first half of the
20th century due to overfishing.[41][80] To boost fishing, several
species of non-native tilapia and Nile perch were introduced to
the lake in the 1950s. Nevertheless, the natives continued to Fishers and their boats on the shore
dominate fisheries until the 1970s where their decline meant that of Lake Victoria
there was a strong shift towards the non-native Nile tilapia (now 7
percent of catches), non-native Nile perch (60 percent) and the
native Lake Victoria sardine (30 percent).[41][79] Because of its small size, the abundant open-water
Lake Victoria sardine only supported minor fisheries until the decline of other natives.[79] At the peak
in the early 1990s, 500,000 tonnes (490,000 long tons; 550,000 short tons) of Nile perch were
landed annually in Lake Victoria, but this has declined significantly in later years.[41]
Environmental issues
A number of environmental issues are associated with Lake Victoria and the complete disappearance
of many endemic cichlid species has been called the "most dramatic example of human-caused
extinctions within an ecosystem".[49]
Invasive fish
Starting in the 1950s,many species have been introduced to Lake Victoria where they have become
invasive and a prime reason for the extinction of many endemic haplochromine cichlids.[35] Among
the introductions are several tilapias: redbreast (Coptodon rendalli), redbelly (C. zillii), Nile
(Oreochromis niloticus) and blue-spotted tilapias (O. leucostictus).[41][79][81] Although these have
contributed to the extinction of native fish by causing significant changes to the ecosystem,
outcompeted natives and (in the case of the Nile tilapia) possibly hybridized with the highly
threatened native tilapias, the most infamous introduction was the large and highly predatory Nile
perch (Lates niloticus).[35][41][79]
As early as the 1920s, it was proposed to introduce a large pelagic predator such as the Nile perch to
improve the fisheries in the lake. At the same time it was warned that this could present a serious
danger to the native fish species and required extensive research into possible ecological effects before
done.[81] These warnings primarily concerned the native tilapia O. esculentus, as the smaller
haplochromine cichlids (despite playing an important role in local fisheries) were regarded as "trash
fish" by the colonial government.[81] In the following decades, the pressure to introduce the Nile
perch continued, as did warnings about the possible effects of doing it.[81] The first introduction of
Nile perch to the region, done by the Uganda Game and Fisheries Department (then part of the
colonial government) and local African fish guards, happened upstream of Murchison Falls directly
after the completion of the Owen Falls Dam in 1954. This allowed it to spread to Lake Kyoga where
additional Nile perch were released in 1955, but not Victoria itself.[81] Scientists argued that further
introduction should wait until research showed the effect of the

introduction in Kyoga, but by the late 1950s, Nile perch began being
caught in Lake Victoria.[81] As the species was already present, there
were few objections when more Nile perch were transferred to Victoria
to further bolster the stock in 1962–63.[81] The origin of the first Victoria
introductions in the 1950s is not entirely clear and indisputable evidence
is lacking. Uganda Game and Fisheries Department (UGFD) officials
denied that they were involved, but circumstantial evidence suggests
otherwise and local Africans employed by UGFD have said that they
introduced the species in 1954–55 under the directive of senior
officials.[81] UGFD officials argued that Nile perch must have spread to
Lake Victoria by themselves by passing through the Owen Falls Dam
when shut down for maintenance, but this is considered highly unlikely
by many scientists.[81] The Nile perch had spread throughout the lake by
1970.[41] Initially the population of the Nile perch was relatively low, but
a drastic increase happened, peaking in the 1980s, followed by a decline
starting in the 1990s.[41]
Due to the presence of the Nile perch, the natural balance of the lake's
ecosystem has been disrupted. The food chain is being altered and in
some cases, broken by the indiscriminate eating habits of the Nile perch. The Nile perch was
The subsequent decrease in the number of algae-eating fish allows the introduced to Lake Victoria
algae to grow at an alarming rate, thereby choking the lake. The for fishing, and can reach
increasing amounts of algae, in turn, increase the amount of detritus up to 2 m (6.6 ft) and
(dead plant material) that falls to the deeper portions of the lake before 200 kg (440 lb).[82]
decomposing. As a by-product of this the oxygen levels in the deeper
layer of water are being depleted. Without oxygen, any aerobic life (such
as fish) cannot exist in the deeper parts of the lake, forcing all life to exist within a narrow range of
depth. In this way, the Nile perch has degraded the diverse and thriving ecosystem that was once Lake
Victoria. The abundance of aquatic life is not the only dependent of the lake: more than thirty million
people in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda rely on the lake for its natural resources.
Hundreds of endemic species that evolved under the special conditions offered by the protection of
Lake Victoria have been lost due to extinction, and several more are still threatened. Their loss is
devastating for the lake, the fields of ecology, genetics and evolution biology, and more evidently, for
the local fisheries. Local fisheries once depended on catching the lungfish, tilapia, carp and catfish
that comprise the local diet.
Today, the composition and yields of such fish catches are virtually
negligible. Extensive fish kills, Nile perch, loss of habitat and overfishing have caused many fisheries
to collapse and many protein sources to be unavailable at the market for local consumption. Few
fisheries, though, have been able to make the switch to catching the Nile perch, since that requires a
significant amount of capital resources.[83]
Water hyacinth invasion
The water hyacinth has become a major invasive plant species in Lake Victoria.
The release of large amounts of untreated wastewater (sewage) and agricultural and industrial runoff
directly into Lake Victoria over the past 30 years has greatly increased the nutrient levels of nitrogen
and phosphorus in the lake "triggering massive growth of exotic water hyacinth, which colonised the
lake in the late 1990s".[84][85] This invasive weed creates anoxic (total depletion of oxygen levels)
conditions in the lake inhibiting decomposing plant material,

raising toxicity and disease levels to both fish and people. At the
same time, the plant's mat or "web" creates a barrier for boats
and ferries to maneuver, impedes access to the shoreline,
interferes with hydroelectric power generation, and blocks the
intake of water for industries.[84][86][87][88][89] On the other
hand, water hyacinth mats can potentially have a positive effect
on fish life in that they create a barrier to overfishing and allow
for fish growth, there has even been the reappearance of some
fish species thought to have been extinct in recent years. The A hyacinth-choked lakeshore at
overall effects of the water hyacinth, however, are still Ndere Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya.
unknown.[86][90]
Growth of the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria has been tracked since 1993, reaching its maxima
biomass in 1997 and then declining again by the end of 2001.[86] Greater growth was observed in the
northern part of the lake, in relatively protected areas, which may be linked to current and weather
patterns and could also be due to the climate and water conditions, which are more suitable to the
plants growth (as there are large urban areas to the north end of the lake, in Uganda).[89] The invasive
weed was first attempted to be controlled by hand, removed manually from the lake; however, re-
growth occurred quickly. Public awareness exercises were also conducted.[89] More recently,
measures have been used such as the introduction of natural insect predators, including two different
water hyacinth weevils and large harvesting and chopping boats, which seem to be much more
effective in eliminating the water hyacinth.[89][91][92][93] A green power plant that uses harvested
water hyacinth (but also can use other degradable waste) was constructed in Kisumu County in 2013.
In addition to the biogas it produces, its by-product can be used as fertilizer.[38]
Other factors which may have contributed to the decline of the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria
include varying weather patterns, such as El Niño during the last few months of 1997 and first six
months of 1998 bringing with it higher levels of water in the lake and thus dislodging the plants.
Heavy winds and rains along with their subsequent waves may have also damaged the plants during
this same time frame. The plants may not have been destroyed, instead merely moved to another
location. Additionally, the water quality, nutrient supply, temperature, and other environmental
factors could have played a role. Overall, the timing of the decline could be linked to all of these
factors and perhaps together, in combination, they were more effective than any one deterrent would
have been by itself.[89] The water hyacinth is in remission and this trend could be permanent if
control efforts are continued.[94]
Pollution
Pollution of Lake Victoria is mainly due to discharge of raw sewage into the lake, dumping of domestic
and industrial waste, and fertiliser and chemicals from farms.
The Lake Victoria basin, while generally rural, has many major centres of population. Its shores are
dotted with key cities and towns, including Kisumu, Kisii, and Homa Bay in Kenya; Kampala, Jinja
and Entebbe in Uganda; and Bukoba, Mwanza, and Musoma in Tanzania. These cities and towns are
also home to many factories that discharge some chemicals directly into the lake or its influent rivers.
The set up of small beaches and local authorities around the lake lack proper sewage treatment
facilities allowing pollutants to find their way into the water.[95][96] Large parts of these urban areas
also discharge untreated (raw) sewage into the river, increasing its eutrophication that in turn is
helping to increase the invasive water hyacinth.[97] Increased logging and act of deforestation has led
to environmental degradation around the region

reducing the absorption of polluting chemicals and
deteriorating the water quality.[98]
Environmental data
As of 2016, an environmental data repository exists for

Lake Victoria.[99] The repository contains shoreline,
bathymetry, pollution, temperature, wind vector, and
other important data for both the lake and the wider
Basin.
Population density around Lake Victoria
History and exploration

The first recorded information about Lake Victoria comes from
Arab traders plying the inland routes in search of gold, ivory,
other precious commodities, and slaves.
The lake existed and was

known to many Africans in
the catchment area long
before it was sighted by a
European in 1858 when the
British explorer John Bismarck Rock
Hanning Speke reached its
southern shore while on his
journey with Richard Francis Burton to explore central Africa and
The lake as it is visible from the
locate the Great Lakes. Believing he had found the source of the
shores of the Speke Resort in
Nile on seeing this "vast expanse of open water" for the first time,
Kampala, Uganda Speke named the lake after Queen Victoria. Burton, who had been
recovering from illness at the time and resting further south on
the shores of Lake Tanganyika, was outraged that Speke claimed
to have proved his discovery to have been the true source of the Nile River, which Burton regarded as
still unsettled. A very public quarrel ensued, which not only sparked a great deal of intense debate
within the scientific community of the day, but also much interest by other explorers keen to either
confirm or refute Speke's discovery.[100]
In the late 1860s, the famous Scottish explorer and missionary David Livingstone failed in his attempt
to verify Speke's discovery, instead pushing too far west and entering the River Congo system
instead.[101] Ultimately, the Welsh-American explorer Henry Morton Stanley, on an expedition
funded by the New York Herald newspaper, confirmed the truth of Speke's discovery,
circumnavigating the lake and reporting the great outflow at Ripon Falls on the lake's northern shore.
Nalubaale Dam
The only outflow for Lake Victoria is at Jinja, Uganda, where it forms the Victoria Nile. The water
since at least 12,000 years ago drained across a natural rock weir. In 1952, engineers acting for the
government of Colonial Uganda blasted out the weir and reservoir to replace it with an artificial
barrage to control the level of the lake and reduce the gradual erosion of the rock weir. A standard for
mimicking the old rate of outflow called the "agreed curve" was
established, setting the maximum flow rate at 300 to 1,700 cubic
metres per second (392–2,224 cu yd/sec) depending on the lake's
water level.
In 2002, Uganda completed a second hydroelectric complex in

the area, the Kiira Hydroelectric Power Station, with World Bank
assistance. By 2006, the water levels in Lake Victoria had reached
an 80-year low, and Daniel Kull, an independent hydrologist
living in Nairobi, Kenya, calculated that Uganda was releasing
The Nalubaale Hydroelectric Power
about twice as much water as is allowed under the
Station in Njeru, Uganda.
agreement,[102] and was primarily responsible for recent drops in
the lake's level.
Water use
Many towns and cities are reliant on Victoria for their water supplies, for farming and other uses.[103]
Lamadi water scheme
The Lamadi water scheme is a water and sanitation project that serves Mwanza and the satellite
towns of Lamadi, Misungwi, Magu, Bukoba, and Musoma on the bank of Lake Victoria. European
Investment Bank started the project in 2013 with the aim of protecting the environmental health of
the lake, through improved water and sanitation to the towns whose pollution is part of the
degradation of the lake. The project aims to provide safe drinking water for an estimated one million
people and improved sanitation for 100 000 people. Sediment and suspended solids are filtered out
using sand, which acts like a sieve. The water is then ready to be chlorinated or treated in another
way. The sand filtration helps reduce water-borne diseases and is based on the use of the local
environment.[104]
Transport
Since the 1900s, Lake Victoria ferries have been an important means of transport between Uganda,
Tanzania, and Kenya. The main ports on the lake are Kisumu, Mwanza, Bukoba, Entebbe, Port Bell,
and Jinja. Until 1963, the fastest and newest ferry, MV Victoria, was designated a Royal Mail Ship. In
1966, train ferry services between Kenya and Tanzania were established with the introduction of
MV Uhuru and MV Umoja. The ferry MV Bukoba sank in the lake on 21 May 1996 with a loss of
between 800 and 1,000 lives, making it one of Africa's worst maritime disasters.[105] Another tragedy
occurred recently on 20 September 2018 that involved the passagers ferry MV Nyerere from Tanzania
that caused the deaths of over 200 people.[106]
See also
Darwin's Nightmare
Kishanda
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b.archive.org/web/20160915061916/http://www.lvfo.org/index.php/lvfo/lvfo-secretariat/5-lake-victo
ria-fisheries-an-introduction). Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved
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Victoria: What are the management options?" (http://karuspace.karu.ac.ke/handle/20.500.12092/2
060). Lakes & Reservoirs: Research and Management. 10 (3): 147–55. doi:10.1111/j.1440-
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81. Pringle, R.M. (2005). The Origins of the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria. (https://academic.oup.com/bio
science/article/55/9/780/286121/The-Origins-of-the-Nile-Perch-in-Lake-Victoria) BioScience 55
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88. Gichuki, J.; Guebas, F. Dahdouh; Mugo, J.; Rabour, C.O.; Triest, L.; Dehairs, F. (2001). "Species
inventory and the local uses of the plants and fishes of the Lower Sondu Miriu wetland of Lake
Victoria, Kenya". Hydrobiologia. 458: 99–106. doi:10.1023/A:1013192330498 (https://doi.org/10.1
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106. "Ferry tragedy: More than 200 feared dead in Tanzania" (https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/e
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External links
Decreasing levels of Lake Victoria Worry East African Countries (http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/
daily/homepage.asp?ID=306)
New Scientist article (https://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18925384.100) on Uganda's
violation of the agreed curve for hydroelectric water flow.
Dams Draining Lake Victoria (http://internationalrivers.org/en/node/1056) Archived (https://web.arc

hive.org/web/20120310044431/http://internationalrivers.org/en/node/1056) 10 March 2012 at the
Wayback Machine
A Naturalist on Lake Victoria, with an Account of Sleeping Sickness and the Tse-tse Fly (https://ar
chive.org/details/naturalistonlake00carp) (1920). T.F. Unwin Ltd, London; Biodiversity Archive
Video of Lake Victoria (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9VJ6cezlnU)
Institutions of the East African Community: Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20120213132137/http://www.lvfo.org/)
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8/15/2021 Lake Victoria - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 1°S 33°E

With a surface area of approximately 59,947 km2

Nile perch, have driven many endemic species to 'Nnalubaale (Luganda)

Native wildlife 229,815 km2

Other fish Uganda[1]

Pollution Water volume 2,424 km3 (582 cu mi)[3]

Water use Islands 985 (Ukerewe Island,

lakes.[18] Geological cores taken from its bottom

The lake exhibits eutrophic conditions. In 1990–1991, oxygen

Mammals Lake Victoria bathymetric model[29]

Lake Victoria formerly was very rich in fish, including many

Some species have survived in nearby small satellite lakes,[48]

introduction should wait until research showed the effect of the

Water hyacinth invasion

conditions in the lake inhibiting decomposing plant material,

to environmental degradation around the region

As of 2016, an environmental data repository exists for

History and exploration

The lake existed and was

In 2002, Uganda completed a second hydroelectric complex in

Lamadi water scheme

62. Lucy Richardson, The lessons of Lake Victoria Uganda (https://web.archive.org/web/2014092607

Dams Draining Lake Victoria (http://internationalrivers.org/en/node/1056) Archived (https://web.arc

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Victoria&oldid=1035635650"

This page was last edited on 26 July 2021, at 20:39 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;

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