Victoria Lake

Introduction

Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa (68,800 km²), and the most important freshwater resource for the people living in its vicinity. The lake forms, together with Lake Kyoga and Lake Mobutu Sese Seko, an estimated reservoir of 3,200 km³ of freshwater. The sole outlet of Lake Victoria is the River Nile leaving the lake near Jina (Uganda), flowing through the Lakes Kyoga and Mobutu Sese Seko and contributing on average 14% of the flow in the combined White and Blue Niles as measured at Aswan. The flow of the Nile is relatively constant due to the natural regulatory effect of the three equatorial lakes.

Changes in the water balance of the lakes are of major importance not only to the riparian countries, but also to the countries north of these lakes, Sudan and Egypt, which receive water from the Upper Nile basin besides the Blue Nile from Ethiopia. In addition to increased damage to lake-shore interests in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, large fluctuations in lake level...

Appendix: Hydrology

Inflow 18.10⁹ m³

Precipitation 100.10⁹ m³

Outflow 23.10⁹ m³

Evaporation 100.10⁹ m³

Annual lake level fluctuations 0.4–0.7 m

Maximum lake level fluctuation 3 m

Flushing time 140 years

Residence time 23 years

Area 68,800 km²

Volume 3,200 km³