Kenya aquifers discovered in dry Turkana region - BBC News BBC News Kenya aquifers discovered in dry Turkana region 11 September 2013 Close share panel Image caption Test drilling confirmed there was water underneath the arid ground A huge water source has been discovered in the arid Turkana region of northern Kenya which could supply the country for 70 years, the government says. The discovery of two aquifers brings hope to the drought-hit region, tweeted Environment Minister Judi Wakhungu. They were found in the Turkana Basin and Lotikipi Basin using satellites and radar. Last year, scientists released a map detailing the vast reservoirs which lie under much of Africa. This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole Judi Wakhungu, Environment Minister Another aquifer was found in Namibia - sub-Saharan Africa's driest country. Turkana is one of the hottest, driest and poorest parts of Kenya and was hit by a devastating drought last year. Many of the region's inhabitants are nomadic herders, who are especially vulnerable to a lack of rain. Test drilling confirmed there was water under the ground.

The discovery was announced by Ms Wakhungu at a meeting of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Unesco. "This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole. We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations," she said. 'Irrigation and industry benefits' The aquifers are said to hold some 250bn cubic metres of water. Ms Wakhungu said Kenya currently uses about 3bn cubic metres a year. "We're hoping with the two test boreholes, the water should be available within a month. The first priority is to supply water to the people of the area, who have always been water insecure." Image caption The huge water source has been discovered in the arid Turkana region of northern Kenya. Image caption The government estimates the two aquifers found in the the Turkana Basin and Lotikipi Basin, using satellites and radar, could supply the country for 70 years. Image caption Turkana is one of the hottest, driest and poorest parts of Kenya and was hit by a devastating drought last year.

According to the UN, about 17 million of Kenya's 41 million people lack access to safe water. Image caption Many of Turkana's inhabitants are nomadic herders, who are especially vulnerable to a lack of rain. Fighting over resources like water has been the main source of conflict in many arid areas of country. Image caption The discovery was announced at a meeting organised by Unesco. It spearheaded the project in partnership with the government and with the financial support of Japan. Image caption Environment Minister Judi Wakhungu said the aquifers hold some 250bn cubic metres of water; the country currently uses about 3bn cubic metres a year. Image caption The minister said the first priority was to supply water to the people of the area. "We're hoping with the two test boreholes, the water should be available within a month," she said. Image caption Using the water for irrigation and industry would also be considered, Ms Wakhungu said. Massive oil deposits have also recently been discovered in Turkana. Image caption The BBC's Angela Ng'endo says despite Turkana's burgeoning wealth, the region's inhabitants have always felt marginalised.

Image caption The non-governmental organisation Friends of Lake Turkana is urging the government to engage more with local communities about how the water will be used in future. Using the water for irrigation and industry would also be considered, she said. Massive oil deposits have also recently been discovered in Turkana. What is ground water? When water falls as rain or snow, much of it either flows into rivers or is used to provide moisture to plants and crops. What is left over trickles down to the layers of rock that sit beneath the soil. And just like a giant sponge, this ground water is held in the spaces between the rocks and in the tiny inter-connected spaces between individual grains in a rock like sandstone. These bodies of wet rock are referred to as aquifers. Ground water does not sit still in the aquifer but is pushed and pulled by gravity and the weight of water above it. The movement of the water through the aquifer removes many impurities and it is often cleaner than water on the surface. The BBC's Angela Ng'endo in the capital, Nairobi, says despite its burgeoning wealth, the region's inhabitants have always felt marginalised.

Abou Amani, Unesco's Africa hydrologist, urged caution and said it was important not to "overexploit" the aquifers. "We need to put in place a sound management system," he said. The head of the non-governmental organisation Friends of Lake Turkana, Ikal Anglei, said the government also needed to engage more with local communities. "Unfortunately they're not creating forums for us to engage with them," she said. "It is critical for governments to realise they don't… come up with programmes without community ownership… and linking it to economic development." According to Unesco, about 17 million of Kenya's 41 million people lack access to safe water. Lake Turkana Map – Detailed map of Lake Turkana GB Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Anthony Ham AU Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.

Africa's largest windfarm set to connect remote Kenya to the grid | Environment | The Guardian Keep it in the ground Africa's largest windfarm set to connect remote Kenya to the grid Lake Turkana’s fierce winds have plagued villagers for generations, now they have inspired plans for Kenya’s most ambitious infrastructure project in 50 years - a 310MW windfarm, that they said was an impossible dream Loiyangalani district, where the windfarm is planned, is one of Kenya’s most remote and historically marginalised regions. Photograph: Jesper Heldgaard Murithi Mutiga in Loiyangalani and David Smith in Nairobi Friday 9 October 2015 04.25 EDT Last modified on Friday 9 October 2015 05.00 EDT Share on Messenger Close With its spectacular jade waters ringed by ochre red volcanic hills, Lake Turkana, a desert lake in Kenya’s rugged northerly corner provided a wonderful spot for Dutchman Willem Dolleman’s annual fishing expeditions in his adopted homeland.

But Dolleman’s trips were always ruined by the difficulty of finding somewhere to stay in a vastly underdeveloped area where tour lodges are located hundreds of miles apart. Every time he pitched his camp in the evening, a violent gust of wind would uproot the tent sending it into the vanishing horizon. He ended up spending numerous nights in his car. “Willem constantly told us that someone had to do something to harness the incredible wind power he encountered in the area,” said Carlo van Wageningen, a business partner to Dolleman who is now taking part in a consortium that is constructing Africa’s largest windfarm. “The problem was that the conditions were not right because at the time in the 1980s and 90s diesel was relatively cheap and it made economic sense for Kenya to source its power from thermal sources.” Things changed in 2004 when the price of oil climbed and many countries with steep fuel import bills, such as Kenya, began to look seriously at alternative energy sources to provide their power needs.

Campaign sign up Still, when Wageningen and his partners approached Kenyan government officials with a proposal to establish a 310 megawatt (MW) windfarm – equal to 20% of the country’s installed electricity generating capacity – on the shores of Lake Turkana, most dismissed it as a fantasy. Loiyangalani district in Marsabit county where the southern tip of the lake is located is one of Kenya’s most remote and historically marginalised regions, about 1,200km (750 miles) from the main seaport in Mombasa and roughly 600km from the capital, Nairobi. There were no paved roads anywhere near the lake and the nearest transmission grid lay some 428 kilometres away. “Everybody thought we were a bunch of looneys because of its size: 310MW of installed capacity in an area which is extremely remote and where there is nothing. No roads, no other type of infrastructure: that made it to many people a pipedream but left us to develop the project unhindered by politics or other interests.” Pinterest The local villages currently have no electricity.

Photograph: Jesper Heldgaard The developers retained the services of two leading Dutch experts in the field of wind energy, Henk Hutting and Harry Wassenaar. Their early experiments, near where Dolleman had suffered his tent difficulties, returned disappointing results. The wind speed was so ferocious, they reported, that it would break any turbine because it was well above the average speed of 12 metres per second that they are designed to handle. The team measured wind speeds at several nearby areas before settling on a spot tucked between two nearby hills, Mount Kulal and Mount Njiru. It offered what the researchers described as a “wind developers dream” average speed of 11.8 metres per second. Further tests found that the wind – which was highly predictable and flowed in a constant direction at consistent speeds at various times of the day all year round – could potentially generate power at nearly double the level of efficiency of many windfarms in Europe, meaning it could be sold at a relatively low cost. Windfarm map “Wind power varies depending on the time of day,” said Mugo Kibati, chairman of the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project . “Your typical windfarm would have 25-35% utilisation capacity.

Lake Turkana will be 62% utilisation capacity.” That helped convince the government to get on board but there was also scepticism from the local community. “People really doubted when the initial teams came to the ground to explain what they were doing,” said Stakwel Yurenimo, a community leader who was one of the first to embrace the windfarm project and served as a liaison to the project team. “Nobody would buy or understand the idea that the plan was to establish wind turbines to generate power. No one has electricity here anyway, so most people told me that this was a plan by wazungu (white people) to conduct research on the locals and then leave.” One of the problems was the length of time it took for the project financing negotiations to be closed. A number of lenders and equity partners, including the Norwegian, Dutch, Finnish, Danish, European and German investment banks and the British Aldwych International Limited company – which already operates a 90MW diesel power plant in the Kenyan Coast – quickly came on board. Danish wind energy giant Vestas also signed on to supply the turbines.

But the World Bank raised a number of concerns, including whether Kenya could absorb all the electricity from the various wind, geothermal and hydropower projects it is undertaking. That proved to be the most serious question levelled at the viability of the project but Kenyan government officials overrode the World Bank objections, pointing out that the east African country’s goals of transitioning from reliance on primary products, such as agriculture to manufacturing, would create the right level of demand. Pinterest A 204km road linking the remote area to the nearest paved road will be constructed. Photograph: Jesper Heldgaard It is a view echoed by Kibati, who previously served as head of the Vision 2030 secretariat which developed the country’s medium-term development plan: “I think the economy is going to grow just as fast as the power generation capacity is going to grow. I highly doubt we’re going to have excess power in the near future. In my view, growth has been constrained by lack of power. I fully expect Kenya will be growing 7-8% over the next decade.” The African Development Bank took the place of the World Bank and the project financing phase was closed in December 2014 .

There are still issues to be resolved. Some representatives of local communities have alleged the project violates the community land rights of the locals. Kenya’s high court declined to halt the project but asked the county government, the community representatives and the project managers to reach an out of court settlement on the matter, an issue which is still pending resolution. Today, a sprawling, mostly-flat, dun-coloured terrain of moody, stumpy thorn bushes in the Sarima village around 40km from the shores of Lake Turkana is home to the most ambitious infrastructure development project carried out in northern Kenya since independence. Covering 40,000 acres (162km2), the project will entail the installation of 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850kW and is expected to be fully operational in mid 2017. Pinterest Locals have criticised contractors for employing mostly young men rather than giving jobs women.

Photograph: Jesper Heldgaard A 204km road linking the area to the nearest paved road will be built, and the Kenyan electricity transmission company, with funding by both the Kenyan government and a concessional loan from Spain, will construct a 428km transmission line to link it to the national grid. Reaction to the project among locals has been mixed. A $600,000-700,000 community development budget means the contractors have been able to sink boreholes and deliver water to communities while the contractors have promised to light up most of the towns near the area once the power comes online. Still, the sudden changes to the community have not been without challenges, as Stephen Nakeno, a community leader, explained. “So many people have come in [to the site] looking for jobs. Many in the community also have new sources of income. We are seeing divorce rates going up. Venereal diseases which were unknown are now an issue.

We need a permanent doctor stationed here.” Agnes Ngare Emase, a vivacious lady in her 50s who broke from a traditional Turkana dance to speak to reporters, said the contractors needed to break their habit of employing mostly young men and give more jobs to women. Still, many said they expected considerable benefits from the project. “This is an area that was completely forgotten,” said Stakwel Yurenimo. “The best thing is that the roads under construction will open up the place and bring in development, meaning children will have different options from their fathers and grandfathers. A litre of diesel is 50% more expensive here than in Nairobi, all because there is no road. Most people don’t worry too much about the energy but are happy that the powerful wind which was seen as a nuisance for generations might open up the region and link it with the rest of the country.” East Africa: Water, Wind, and Lake Turkana - allAfrica.com East Africa: Water, Wind, and Lake Turkana analysis Editor's Note Lake Turkana, in the far northwest of Kenya and extending over the border into Ethiopia, is the world's largest desert lake, in a region that is central to archaeological investigation into the origin of humanity.

It is now also central to two different projects for expanding renewable energy due to come on-line in the next three years, one based on hydropower and the other on wind. While both will significantly expand the input to the East African power grid, critics charge that expansion of hydropower on Ethiopia's Omo River also poses serious threats to the livelihood of local people both around Lake Turkana and upstream along the Omo River. The hydropower project, the Gilgel Gibe III dam, is expected to generate its first power in June 2015 and grow to a capacity of 1,870 MW. It would also serve Kenya as well as Ethiopia through a transmission line to be completed in 2018. The Lake Turkana Wind Power project, which completed a complex financing package in late 2014, is expected to begin production of power in a little more than two years, with an eventual capacity of 300 MW, increasing Kenya's electricity capacity by about 20% from current levels.

While the Turkana wind project has minimal environmental impact, the Gibe III, like other such large hydropower projects, has a much larger environmental footprint, raising multiple questions about the impact on downstream populations of the dam and of large-scale irrigated agricultural projects displacing local populations. The Ethiopian government has rejected such criticism as uninformed. But both the World Bank and the African Development Bank declined to support the Gibe III project, which subsequently gained significant Chinese backing. In contrast, the African Development Bank is the lead financing partner for the Turkana wind project. This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains a press release and project profile from the Lake Turkana Wind Power consortium responsible for the project, and excerpts from two critical documents on the potential impact of the Gilgel Gibe III dam on Lake Turkana, from International Rivers and from Dr. Sean Avery, a consultant who prepared impact reports for the African Development Bank and for the University of Oxford African Studies Center. Other relevant sources of interest include: On Lake Turkana Wind Power: Carlos Van Wageningen (Chairman of Lake Turkana Wind Power, talks about Lake Turkana, the largest wind power plant in Africa.

10- minute video interview, November 15, 2013, On the Gilgel Gibe III dam and its impact: Official site for project, including page responding to issues raised by critics World Bank, "The Eastern Electricity Highway Project under the First Phase of the Eastern Africa Power Integration Program," (on the Ethiopia-Kenya transmission line to be constructed) Human Rights Watch, "Ethiopia: Land, Water Grabs Devastate Communities," Feb. 18, 2014 For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on the environment and climate change, visit Ebola Perspectives [AfricaFocus is regularly monitoring and posting links on Ebola on social media. For additional links, see New and of particular interest: "Renewed spread in Freetown, Sierra Leone - how easily virus can take off again" New York Times, March 1, 2015 "Overview of economic impact & enormous difficulties of recovery, particularly in Sierra Leone & Liberia" Reuters, Feb.

27, 2015 Africa's Largest Wind Power Project Achieves Full Financial Close Lake Turkana Wind Power receives first disbursements of funds Nairobi, Kenya, 19 December 2014 Following the financial close of Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) on 11 December 2014, LTWP has received the first disbursement of funds pursuant to financing agreements signed in March 2014. "Reaching this important milestone today caps a year of major achievements by LTWP," said Mugo Kibati, LTWP's Chairman of the Board. "This includes signing the financing agreements in March, issuing notice to proceed by KETRACO to the transmission line construction contractor in August, financial close of the LTWP equity partners in September, as well as notices to proceed to LTWP's contractors in October." The LTWP project, Kenya Shillings 70 billion (623 million Euros), is the largest single wind power project to be constructed in Africa and is, to date, the largest private investment in the history of Kenya and arguably one of the most complex and challenging project financing undertaken in the renewable energy space in sub-Saharan Africa.

The project is a key deliverable under the Government's commitment to scaling up electricity generation to 5,000MW and is a flagship project within the Vision 2030 program. The LTWP project will provide cost effective renewable power to the Kenyan consumer and will comprise approximately 20% of Kenya's currently installed generating capacity. The LTWP consortium is comprised of KP&P Africa B.V. and Aldwych International as co-developers and investors, and Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd (Finn Fund), Industrial Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), KLP Norfund Investments, Vestas Eastern Africa (VEAL) and Sandpiper as investors. Aldwych Turkana Ltd, an affiliate of Aldwych International, will oversee construction and operations of the project on behalf of LTWP. The support, interaction and uplifting of local communities is a high priority for LTWP. As such, LTWP adopted a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program which will be implemented by the Winds of Change Foundation (a wholly owned subsidiary of LTWP).

This foundation aims to uplift local communities through programs such as the CHAT HIV awareness campaign, water, sanitation, electrification, sustainable development of agriculture as well as the education of boys and girls. Initially, activities will be concentrated around the wind farm communities (Loyangalani, Korr and Laisamis divisions, with South Horr). CSR activities will gradually expand to the wider project area. The financing agreements were signed in March 2014 with the African Development Bank (AfDB), European Investment Bank (EIB), Nederlandse Financierings Maatschappij Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO), Société De Promotion Et De Participation Pour La Coopération Economique (Proparco), Eastern And Southern African Trade And Development Bank (PTA Bank), Nedbank Capital, The Standard Bank of South Africa, Eksport Kredit Fonden (EKF), Deg -- Deutsche Investitions - Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Mbh, East African Development Bank and Triodos.

After eight years of development with the full support of the Government of Kenya, Kenya Power, the Energy Regulation Committee (ERC) and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), utilization of the funds signifies the completion of the project's financing stage, which will allow the project to move towards implementation and to commence producing electricity in 2017. For further press information please contact: Mary E O'Reilly, Phone : + 254 733 751 799 or +254 711 667 670, Email: media@ltwp.co.ke Please also visit for further information. Notes to Editor: The wind farm site, covering 40,000 acres (162km2), is located in Loyangalani District, Marsabit West County, in north-eastern Kenya, approximately 50km north of South Horr Township. The project will comprise 365 wind turbines (each with a capacity of 850 kW), the associated overhead electric grid collection system and a high voltage substation.

The project also includes upgrading of the existing road from Laisamis to the wind farm site, which is partly financed by the Dutch Government and is a distance of approximately 204km. In addition, the project will build an access road network in and around the site for construction, operations and maintenance. The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (Ketraco), with concessional funding from the Spanish Government, is constructing a double circuit 400kV, 428km transmission line to deliver the LTWP electricity along with power from other future plants to the national grid. Lake Turkana Wind Power [Excerpts] 1. The Project Profile The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) aims to provide 300MW of reliable, low cost wind power to the Kenya national grid, equivalent to approximately 20% of the current installed electricity generating capacity. The Project is of significant strategic benefit to Kenya, and at Ksh76 billion (Euro 623 million) will be the largest single private investment in Kenya's history.

The wind farm site, covering 40,000 acres (162km2), is located in Loyangalani District, Marsabit West County approximately 50km north of South HorrTownship. Transmission line and access roads in relation to the wind farm The Project will comprise 365 wind turbines (each with a capacity of 850 kW), the associated overhead electric grid collection system and a high voltage substation. The Project also includes upgrading of the existing road from Laisamis to the wind farm site, a distance of approximately 204km, as well as an access road network in and around the site for construction, operations and maintenance. The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (Ketraco), with concessional funding from the Spanish Government, is constructing a double circuit 400kv, 428km transmission line to deliver the LTWP electricity along with power from other future plants to the national grid. The Project proponent is the LTWP consortium comprising KP&P Africa B.V. and Aldwych International as co-developers, Industrial Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), Wind Power A.S.

(Vestas), Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd (Finnfund),and Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund). LTWP is solely responsible for the financing, construction and operation of the wind farm. Aldwych, an experienced power company focused on Africa, will oversee the construction and operations of the power plant on behalf of LTWP. Vestas will provide the maintenance of the plant in contract with LTWP. The power produced will be bought at a fixed price by Kenya Power (KPLC) over a 20-year period in accordance with the signed Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). 2. Background Several sites in Marsabit County were explored for suitability of wind power generation. The proposed site was selected following an extensive survey of the region focusing on environmental, social and sustainability, technology and commercial considerations, including the remoteness of the area, the strength and stability of the winds, proven technology, benign environmental setting, low population density, security of the area, fresh water availability and road accessibility. In addition, in order to avoid possible bird contact with the turbines, the proposed wind farm is sited at least 9 km from the shore of Lake Turkana.

A 12 month ornithological study has been concluded and annual environmental audits will be done for the entire wind farm during the 20 year operations period. ... Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) Danish Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd (Finnfund) Lenders The lead arranger of the debt financing is the African Development Bank with Standard Bank of South Africa and Nedbank Capital of South Africa as co-arrangers. 4.Project Benefits 4.1 Reliable Power Largest single wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa Optimal site location: According to the National Wind Resource Atlas, as compiled by the Ministry of Energy, MarsabitWestCounty is generally gifted with exceptional wind resources. Reliable wind: The site lies between 450m at the shore of Lake Turkana and 2,300m above sea level at the top of Mt.Kulal. The area around the site has a unique geographical phenomenon whereby daily temperature fluctuations generate strong predictable wind streams between Lake Turkana (with relatively constant temperature) and the desert hinterland (with steep temperature fluctuations) and as the wind streams pass through the valley between the Mt. Kulal and Mt.

Nyiru ranges (2,750m above sea level) which effectively act as a funnel causing the wind streams to accelerate (known as the Turkana Corridor low level jet stream). The Turkana wind phenomenon stems from the East African jet stream which stretches from the ocean through the Ethiopian highlands and valleys to the deserts in Sudan in a south-east direction all year round. Data collected and analysed since 2007 indicate that site has some of the best wind resources in Africa, with consistent wind speeds averaging 11 meters/second and from the same direction year round. 4.2 Renewable Energy LTWP has registered with the UNFCCC and approved at the Gold Standard rating; the income from the carbon credits will be given to with the government and invested in the community (see below). The Project reduces the need to depend on unreliable hydro and on expensive, unpredictably priced fossil fuel based power generation and insulates Kenya's power tariff by providing a low and consistent power price. If the wind is less than predicted then only LTWP suffers as Kenya Power only pays for the power produced at a fixed price per kWh.

4.3 Low Cost Power The Government of Kenya's Least Cost Development Power Plan shows that LTWP wind power will be the least cost power generation option available in the country along with geothermal power and at even less cost than the feed in tariff for other wind projects set at US$11 cents/kWh. The LTWP tariff will be approximately 60% cheaper than thermal power plants 4.4 Community Development and Environmental Impact MarsabitWestCounty is among the poorest counties in Kenya; Loyangalani is one of the poorest districts in Marsabit. LTWP has all the required environmental and social approvals in line with the IFC Performance Standards A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme is being finalised based on extensive input from the communities in order to ensure that livelihoods are improved; LTWP will use a combination of revenue from carbon credits and profit to form and fund a trust, which will ensure a well targeted plan over the 20 years of the investment.

4.5 Macroeconomic Impact Largest single private investment in Kenya Will replace need for Kenya to spend approximately Ksh13.7 billion (Euro 120 million) per year on importing fuel The LTWP tax contribution to Kenya will be approximately Ksh2.7 billion (Euro 22.7 million) per year and Ksh58.6 billion (Euro 450 million) over the life of the investment Jobs Turkana's "Forgotten People" Call for Halt to Ethiopia's Imminent Water Grabs International Rivers, Press Release, January 8, 2015 Berkeley, US: International Rivers is today publishing a report and video with voices from Lake Turkana, which tell an emotional story of a people facing a major crisis. Media contacts: Peter Bosshard, Policy Director, +1 (510) 848-1155 ext. 320, peter@internationalrivers.org, @PeterBosshard The world's largest desert lake - Lake Turkana in Kenya - is at imminent risk from upstream water grabs that will dramatically reduce the lake's main water supply, shrink the lake, and kill off ecosystems and productive fisheries.

Some 300,000 of the world's poorest people depend on the lake for their survival. The imminent filling of Ethiopia's Gibe III Dam and other water grabs on the Omo River will mean the difference between marginal livelihoods and famine for most. International Rivers calls on the Ethiopian government and its donors to ensure sufficient downstream water flows before closing the Gibe III Dam gates. Ethiopia is building huge dams and plantations in the Omo River Valley, displacing its own people in addition to causing lost livelihoods in Kenya. Gibe III Dam (now nearing completion) is one of Africa's largest hydropower projects. The filling of its reservoir will take an estimated three years and reduce water flows by up to 70% in the Omo River. The associated expansion of water-intensive sugar and cotton plantations poses an even greater threat: if current plans described by the Ethiopian government move forward, hydrologists estimate the lake level could drop between 16 and 22 meters. The average depth of the lake is just 31 meters. "These water grabs will disrupt fisheries and destroy other ecosystems upon which local people depend," comments Lori Pottinger, International Rivers' Africa Campaigner.

"Local people have not been consulted about the project nor informed about its impacts on their lives." The new International Rivers report - called Come and Count Our Bones: Community Voices from Lake Turkana on the Impacts of Gibe III Dam - is based on interviews with more than 100 people in communities around Lake Turkana. "Once the dam is operating, everything people feed on will disappear. Starvation will take over," said pastorialist Rebecca Arot. Kenya is planning to purchase electricity from Gibe III, and the World Bank is supporting the transmission line from the dam to Kenya. In spite of losing livelihoods and food security, the downstream victims of the Omo River water grabs are unlikely to receive any benefits from the power production. "We cannot eat electricity. What we require is food and income for the Turkana community," said Christopher Eporon Ekuwom of the Turkana County Government's Ministry of Pastoral Economy & Fisheries. "The lake is like our farm," one pastoralist told International Rivers. "The life of this place is fish ... if this lake was not there, the fish would not be there, and life in this place would almost be impossible," said a local businessman.

The Ethiopian government has thus far failed to acknowledge the impacts of its Omo developments on Lake Turkana. The Kenyan government has not publicly requested protection for the lake from water diversions. Turkana residents who were interviewed had many messages for these two governments. The Ethiopian government and its infrastructure development plans are highly dependent on aid from Western governments, China, the World Bank, and other international institutions. International Rivers calls on Ethiopia and its donors to avert this human-made humanitarian disaster, stop water grabs from the Omo River and make sure the Gibe III Dam is only operated with sufficient downstream flows to sustain ecosystems and livelihoods in the Lower Omo Valley and around Lake Turkana.

[Additional sources, including reports and video, available at link above] Lake Turkana and the Lower Omo: hydrological impacts of major dam and irrigation developments University of Oxford, Africa Studies Centre, 2012 This study, by the Nairobi-based consultant hydrologist and civil engineer, Dr Sean Avery, is one of the outcomes of the AHRC (Arts & Humanities Research Council) funded project, 'Landscape people and parks: environmental change in the Lower Omo Valley, southwestern Ethiopia', run by Professor David Anderson and Dr David Turton between 2007 and 2010. As work on this project proceeded, it became clear that the landscape of the lower Omo would soon undergo one of the biggest transformations in its history, thanks to the Gibe III hydropower dam which had just begun construction in the middle basin of the Omo, about 600 kilometres upstream from Lake Turkana. Due for completion in 2014, Gibe III will regulate the flow of the Omo and permanently modify the annual flood regime upon which the agropastoralists of the lower Omo depend for their livelihoods.

Furthermore, by uplifting the natural low flows in the river, the dam will make possible reliable large-scale irrigation development in the lower basin. Since the Omo supplies 90 per cent of the water entering Kenya's Lake Turkana, the regulation of the Omo flows and the abstraction of Omo water for large-scale irrigation will alter the hydrological inflow patterns to Lake Turkana. This will directly impact the ecology of the lake, which is Kenya's largest, and the world's largest desert lake. The consequences of large irrigation abstractions were not mentioned in any of the environmental impact assessments commissioned by the Gibe III dam builders. An assessment was made, however, by Dr Avery in a report commissioned by the African Development Bank (AFDB) and submitted in 2010. This was before any official announcement had been made of the extent of planned irrigation in the lower Omo. Nevertheless, by using irrigation water demand forecasts from the Omo Basin Master Plan and a future hypothetical scenario, it was shown that the lake could drop by 20 metres or more, causing, amongst other things, a significant reduction in the productivity of its fisheries. The AFDB report also warned of the cumulative impacts of other associated developments and recommended that these be evaluated.

A few months after the AFDB report was submitted, the full extent of planned irrigation development in the lower Omo became clearer, with the announcement that the state-run Ethiopian Sugar Corporation would soon begin developing 150,000 hectares of irrigated sugar plantations. This was on land largely taken from existing protected areas and was additional to other land in the lower Omo that had already been allocated to, or earmarked for development by, private investors. It appeared that the lower Omo was set to become by far the largest irrigation complex in Ethiopia. We therefore asked Dr Avery to undertake a second study, on behalf of the 'Landscape, people and parks' project, updating and consolidating his earlier findings on the hydrological impacts on the lower Omo and Lake Turkana. This report, which can be downloaded below, constitutes the most complete, detailed and authoritative assessment yet made of the impact of river basin development in the Omo Valley on the Lake Turkana Basin. Kenya - Highlights Kenya Itineraries Lakes of Kenya Kenya has a large number of lakes, mainly formed by the Great Rift. There are many beautiful lakes, some filled with freshwater and some with saltwater.

We would like to tell a bit more about the more known lakes like Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana. Lake Naivasha Lake Naivasha lies only 90 km northwest of Nairobi, at the foot of the Rift Valley Escarpment. Few lakes have a better location or greater attraction than this lake, the highest and purest of all Rift Valley Lakes. Her secluded lagoons are surrounded by papyrus. Mount Longonot (2977 m), now an extinct volcano, dominates the skyline in the shades of misty blue and purple. Lake Naivasha is a haven for more bird species than the whole of the British Isles, and can be seen here in large numbers and variations. Pelican, herons and cormorants are well represented and may well be seen during a boat ride on the lake, which also offers the chance to see hippos up close. A striking bird is the African Fish Eagle, which breeds in the trees along the edge of the lake and its hunters call is regularly heard on the water’s edge.

A narrow strip of land connects the mainland with Crescent Island, a private reserve where you can walk and find a large variety of wildlife such as gazelle, waterbuck, zebra, giraffe and dikdik. Just south of Lake Naivasha is the dramatic Hell's Gate, it is a 13 km long gorge with a rugged road between towering red rocks. Hell's gate is a geo-thermal hot spot. It is also home to one of Kenya's rarest birds of prey, the Lammergeyer. Lake Nakuru (National Park) Located between Lake Baringo and Lake Naivasha, under the high cliffs of the East Valley, you can find Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is named after the shallow saltwater lake surrounded by a forest of yellow acacia and grasslands, rocky cliffs and hills covered with the unusual giant Euphorbia trees. Lake Nakuru is known worldwide as the home of many larger and smaller flocks of flamingos that often form a brilliant pink ribbon along the edges of the lake. Remember flamingos are unpredictable and cannot always be found where you expect them to be. They migrate in large numbers between Lake Natron and Lake Turkana in search of the best food.

An entertaining spectacle is the daily bathing ritual and the fishing of the large groups of pelicans on the southern edge of the lake. More than 400 species of birds have been recorded in and around the lake, making it clearly a very important ornithological site in Kenya. Besides the birds, the park also offers a home to herds of buffalo, waterbuck, impalas, Rothschild giraffes and leopards. A portion of the territory of the park is now designated as a rhino reserve. Lake Nakuru probably offers the best chance at see the mighty rhinoceros and the sublime hunter, the leopard. Close to Lake Nakuru is an important volcanic crater in the East African Rift, the Menengai Crater. Liquid magma rose along the deep fractures to the surface. Fissures formed by the force of the tectonic plate which as it were "float" on the crust. The Menengai crater is 8-10 km in diameter and 485 m deep. Lake Turkana Lake Turkana (formerly Lake Rudolf) is the largest and most northerly of the Rift Valley Lakes, with its northern coast bordering Ethiopia.

"The Jade Sea", so called because of its remarkable colour that contrasts with the harsh environment of purple and black volcanic rock, is undoubtedly the least hospitable, but absolutely most fascinating. Although the mammals are not well represented, it is an important place for the northern European movement of migratory birds. The Central Island National Park is accessible from the Ferguson's Gulf and is a breeding area for the large colonies of water birds and crocodiles. Lake Turkana, where men and animals fight for survival, is in fact the "cradle of humanity" itself. The fossil rich environment at Koobi Fora in the Sibiloi National Park, located on the northeast coast, has many fascinating evidence disclosed about the origin of man and his predecessors dating back almost two million years. Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria The freshwater lake, Baringo, is located in the Rift Valley at about 125 km north of Nakuru. It is a quiet place of unparalleled beauty and the home of the Njemps tribe, the smaller cousin of the Maasai tribe. They have abandoned their nomadic way of life and now fish in reed boats on the lake.

The other tribes in the area of the lake are the Tug and the Pokot, but also a few Turkana have migrated to the area. There is very little cultivation as a result of the long hot dry seasons, followed by the usual heavy rainfall in May. Most residents live by cattle, goats and sheep, supplemented by fishing for catfish and tilapia and the harvest of honey, aloes, wild fruits and berries. Baringo is a paradise for birdwatchers; its two main attractions are the Gibraltar Island with its breeding area for a large colony of Goliath herons and the plateau on the west side of the lake - especially the home of the Verreaux's Eagle. Walks along the edge of the lake and on the islands offer the opportunity to see the abundant numbers of birds close by. As well as a boat trip, a trip up the River Molo gives good opportunity to view crocodiles, hippos and the abundant bird life. Hidden in the hills, 50 km south of Baringo the amazing Lake Bogoria is located. With its clear blue water set beneath the towering cliffs of the Laikipia Plateau.

Hot water geysers can be found on the western coastline and provide proof of the volcanic history of the area. In the middle of the day the heat can be devastating, but there is always a wonderful cool shelter place to find under a Fig Tree and a clear flow of fresh water emphasizes the ambience of an oasis. Lake Bogoria is known mainly for the chance of seeing the greater Kudu, a rare antelope, which thrives in the area. Lake Victoria The second largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Victoria, dominates the space with its 70,000 kilometre square area and is the mysterious source of the Nile. The area is ideal for bird watching because the lake attracts a wide variety of waterfowl. With its enormous size, the dark lake is very shallow - only 100 meters at its deepest point. Three African countries - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, border this giant lake. Travelling between these countries over the lake is, unfortunately, a luxury of the past. It is important to note that bilharzia is widely spread in Lake Victoria so unfortunately for people who like to swim it is too dangerous. The basin is home to the Luo people.

Originally coming from Sudan they moved into the area in the 15th century and are now Kenya's third largest ethnic group. Surrounded by the waters of Lake Victoria and shaded by giant fig trees is the forgotten world of Mfangano Island in an oasis of piece. The island is an ideal refuge from the bustle of modern life. Huge boulders along the waterfront are a perfect base for cormorants or large monitor lizards that enjoy the sun. Another beautiful location and many years earlier discovered by many migratory birds is Rusinga Island, with clearly a lot of the characteristics of Mfangano Island. Recommended accommodation nearby the Lakes of Kenya: About the Great Lakes Region About the Great Lakes Region Share What lakes make up the Great Lakes region? The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift. They include Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world in terms of surface area; and Lake Tanganyika, the world's second largest in volume as well as the second deepest.

The following, in order of size from largest to smallest, are included on most lists of the African Great Lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Lake Turkana, Lake Albert, Lake Kivu, and Lake Edward. Some call only Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, and Lake Edward the Great Lakes, as they are the only three that empty into the White Nile. Lake Kyoga is part of Great Lakes system, but is not itself considered a Great Lake, based on size alone. Lake Tanganyika and Lake Kivu both empty into the Congo River system, while Lake Malawi is drained by the Shire River into the Zambezi. Lake Turkana has no outlet. Two other lakes close to Lake Tanganyika do not appear on the lists despite being larger than Edward and Kivu: Lake Rukwa and Lake Mweru. Countries of the Great Lakes Region The four countries that make up the Great Lakes region are: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C.), Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda. The African Great Lake region is likewise somewhat loose.

It is used in a narrow sense for the area lying between northern Lake Tanganyika, western Lake Victoria, and lakes Kivu, Edward, and Albert. This comprises Burundi, Rwanda, northeastern D.R. Congo, Uganda and northwestern Kenya and Tanzania. It is used in a wider sense to extend to all of Kenya and Tanzania, but not usually as far south as Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique nor as far north as Ethiopia, though these four countries border one of the Great Lakes. Because of the density of population and the agricultural surplus in the region the area became highly organized into a number of small states. The most powerful of these monarchies were Rwanda, Burundi, Buganda, and Bunyoro. Learn more about U.S. relations with each of these countries via the links below.

Question: In which African country is Lake Turkana?
Answer: Kenya