 right|thumb|satellite image of lake naivasha right|thumb|150px|location of naivasha in kenya lake naivasha is a freshwater lake in kenya, outside the town of naivasha in nakuru county, which lies north west of nairobi. it is part of the great rift valley. the name derives from the local maasai name nai'posha, meaning "rough water" because of the sudden storms which can arise. ==location== thumb|right|lake naivasha thumb|dusk at lake naivasha thumb|right|lake naivasha, 2012 lake naivasha is at the highest elevation of the kenyan rift valley at  in a complex geological combination of volcanic rocks and sedimentary deposits from a larger pleistocene era lake. apart from transient streams, the lake is fed by the perennial malewa and gilgil rivers. there is no visible outlet, but since the lake water is relatively fresh it is assumed to have an underground outflow. the lake has a surface area of 139&nbsp;kmÂ², "the outflow of lake naivasha based on the stable isotope composition" (characteristics), m.k. arusei, j. k sanga, m.p tole, department of chemistry, school of environmental studies, moi university, p.o box 3900 eldoret, kenya, webpage: unep-moi-arusei-pdf. and is surrounded by a swamp which covers an area of 64 square km, but this can vary largely depending on rainfall. it is situated at an altitude of 1,884 metres (6,180&nbsp;ft). the lake has an average depth of 6&nbsp;m (20&nbsp;ft), with the deepest area being at crescent island, at a maximum depth of 30&nbsp;m (100&nbsp;ft). njorowa gorge used to form the lake's outlet, but it is now high above the lake and forms the entrance to hell's gate national park. the town of naivasha (formerly east nakuru) lies on the north-east edge of the lake. ==ecology== the lake is home to a variety of types of wildlife including over 400 different species of bird and a sizeable population of hippos. the fish community in the lake has been highly variable over time, influenced by changes in climate, fishing effort and t
Endorheic_lakes_of_Africa Lakes_of_Kenya Lakes_of_the_Great_Rift_Valley Nakuru_County Ramsar_sites_in_Kenya