Lake Kyoga

Lake Kyoga

Lake Kyoga (Kioga)

Why is Lake Kyoga flooded?

Why is Lake Kyoga flooded? Lake Kyoga is a tourist attraction in the heart of Uganda. It is a fairly shallow lake with a depth of roughly 5.7 meters, with the majority of its depth being less than 4 meters. The Victoria Nile, which gathers water from Lake Victoria from Jinja northwards to Kyoga, feeds the lake. Lake Kyoga has an area of approximately 1,720 square kilometers and is located 1,033 meters above sea level.

Lake Kyoga has many extensions that produce finger-like seasonal lakes. Lake Bisina, Lake Opeta, and Lake Quania are some of the lake’s expansions. Some of these are linked to the lake via rivers, such as Lake Opeta, which stays independent during some seasons when others have dried up.

Kyoga Lake, also known as Lake Kioga, features most places that are less than 3 meters deep and are covered by water lilies. It also features a large marshy shoreline covered with papyrus and water hyacinth. This beachfront provides a natural home for a variety of species, making it an excellent birding location. The papyrus is so numerous and huge that it forms islands in the lake and even blocks the Victoria Nile on its journey to Lake Albert.

The lake is also a natural home for different fish species, and fishing is a major economic activity in the region. Lake Kyoga has around 46 fish species, including tilapia, mudfish, catfish, silverfish, and many others. The Nile perch was introduced into the lake in the 1950s, causing the demise of several fish species including Tilapia variabilis, Barbus Kiogae, Haplochromis macrodon, Tilapia esculenta, Mormyrus kanumme, Claris mossambicus, and many more. Nile crocodiles are another prevalent aquatic species in the lake.