Lake Kyoga is an extensive and shallow water body situated within Central and Eastern Uganda measuring an average depth of 4 meters and maximum depth of approximately 5.7 meters. Its maximum length is 200 kilometers (120 miles) and is set on an elevation of 1033 meters (3389 feet).
It stretches for around 1,720 square kilometers and the Victoria Nile flows through this Lake on its journey to the famous Mediterranean Sea. Some of the known extensions of the Lake include Lakes Opeta, Kwania and Bugondo and are always known as finger-Lakes surrounded by marshlands during the rainy season. The Victoria Nile drains through Lake Kyoga on its way from Lake Victoria to Albert. The one common feature about these Lakes is that they are all shallow, normally reaching a depth of only 8-9 meters while Opeta also forms a separate Lake during the dry seasons.
The major inflow from Lake Victoria is regulated by the Nalubaale Power Station within Jinja district, in Eastern Uganda. Besides that, another source of its waters is Mount Elgon in the Uganda-Kenya border.
Areas around Lake Kyoga are characterized by enormous wetlands fed by a complex system of Rivers and the shoreline is covered by marshland characterized by water hyacinth, papyrus and water lilies. However, the papyrus also forms the floating Islands that move between several small permanent Islands. Much as Lake Kyoga is part of the prominent Great Lakes system, it is not always considered a great Lake.
Due to the shallowness of Lake Kyoga, navigation (for especially shallow-draft vessels) is possible through the Namasagali and Masindi Port. The Lake has a catchment area of apprimately 75,000 square kilometers but due to the poor soil management practices within the area and increased siltation caused by the Victoria Nile, the floating vegetation became habitable to several fishermen in the past hence reducing the quality and quantity of water in the Lake.
Attractions within Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga is known for its rich biodiversity with numerous flora and fauna. As a matter of fact, there are more than 46 species of fish including the Nile Perch (introduced in the late 1950s) and 2 species endemic to Lake Victoria that call the waters of Lake Kyoga home as well as some Nile crocodiles. Other rare fish species within the Lake include Haplochromis macrodon, Barbus kiogae, Engraulicypris argentus Mormyrus kannume, Tilapia esculenta, Clarias mossambicus, African butter catfish (Schilbe mystus), Tilapia variabilis, Synodontis victoriae and many others. Flora within the area include water lettus, cyperus papyrus, Cattail, water lilies, Hyppo grasses and many others.
