Lake Kyoga

Lake Kyoga
Landscape surrounding Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga is located in Uganda
Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga
Coordinates1°30′N 33°0′E / 1.500°N 33.000°E / 1.500; 33.000
TypePolymictic
Basin Lakes
Primary inflowsVictoria Nile
Primary outflowsVictoria Nile
Catchment area75,000 km2 (29,000 sq mi)
Basin countriesUganda
Max. length200 km (120 mi)
Surface area1,720 km2 (660 sq mi)
Max. depth5.7 m (19 ft)
Surface elevation1,033 m (3,389 ft)
SettlementsSoroti
References[1][2]

Lake Kyoga or Lake Kioga (literally 'the place of bathing' in Runyoro language) is a large shallow lake in Uganda, about 1,720 km2 (660 sq mi)[1] in area and at an elevation of 1,033 metres.[2][3] The Victoria Nile flows through the lake on its way from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. The main inflow from Lake Victoria is regulated by the Nalubaale Power Station in Jinja. Another source of water is the Mount Elgon region on the border between Uganda and Kenya. While Lake Kyoga is part of the African Great Lakes system, it is not itself considered a great lake.

The lake reaches a depth of about 5.7 metres, and most of it is less than 4 metres deep.[3] Areas that are less than 3 metres deep are completely covered by water lilies, while much of the swampy shoreline is covered with papyrus and the invasive water hyacinth.[3] The papyrus also forms floating islands that drift between a number of small permanent islands. Extensive wetlands fed by a complex system of streams and rivers surround the lakes.

Its extensions include; Lake Kwania, Lake Bisina, lake Bugondo and Lake Opeta.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Lake Kyoga". World Lakes Database. 1999. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b Lake Kyoga at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  3. ^ a b c d "Govt starts irrigation schemes in Serere". Monitor. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-21.