The Shrinking and Expanding Eastern Africa Rift Valley Lakes: The Case of Ethiopian and Kenyan Rift Valley Lakes: Review

Lakes in the Ethiopian and Kenyan Rift Valley exhibit contrasting morphological changes, with Ethiopian lakes shrinking or expanding while Kenyan lakes predominantly expand. A review of 226 critically assessed documents revealed that endorheic lakes experience significant fluctuations due to anthropogenic pressures, such as deforestation, while water quality impacts remain understudied. Surprisingly, the predicted 12-meter drop in Lake Turkana did not occur despite upstream projects in the Omo catchment. This review provides critical insights into spatio-temporal water level trends and their drivers, offering valuable data for academics and policymakers to safeguard lake ecosystems through informed resource planning.

Gebreegziabher, G. A. A., Degefa, S., & Furi, W. (2023). The Shrinking and Expanding Eastern Africa Rift Valley Lakes: The Case of Ethiopian and Kenyan Rift Valley Lakes: Review. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.1642.v1