WWF - For a living planet

Lake Bogoria is one of a series of saline, alkaline lakes within Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, a little north of the equator. It is 34 sq km in size and sits within a basin covering an area of around 1,200 sq km.

Famous for its geysers and hot springs, Lake Bogoria is home to one of the world's largest populations of lesser flamingos. The lake has been a National Reserve since 1973 and was designated a Ramsar site in 2001. This means it is an internationally important wetland area, supporting many regionally and nationally endangered species, including the migratory lesser flamingo, the greater flamingo and the black-necked grebe. Up to two million birds can be found there at any one time, many living in the reserve for months at a time. The reserve also supports populations of the rare greater kudu antelope.

The lake is recharged by spring-fed and seasonal rivers. These are also critical water sources for humans and for domestic and wild animals. The major source of freshwater is the Waseges River.

An estimated 40,000 people live in the surrounding area, according to 1999 census figures. The population continues to increase due to immigration. The local economy is primarily dependent on the lake’s natural resource base. People rely on the river for domestic use, agriculture and for watering their livestock.

However, over recent years an increase in irrigated agriculture has, in some cases, resulted in reduced river flows. This affects people living downstream and ultimately, the lake, and the biodiversity it supports, which relies so heavily on the river for recharge.

Threats

Lake Bogoria and the surrounding area face numerous threats, primarily due to increasing population pressure and the associated intensification and diversification of land-use. This has led to unsustainable abstraction of river and stream water, deforestation and destruction of habitats. This in turn has resulted in an increase in the level of sedimentation in the rivers in recent years, with over 1.7 million tonnes of soil carried downstream annually.

These existing threats and challenges are likely to be compounded by the effects of climate change.

Solutions

WWF works with key local organisations to ensure the ecosystem’s natural functions and biodiversity are maintained while sustaining human development and welfare.

We have secured a number of successes over recent years, including the development of a participatory Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for Lake Bogoria National Reserve. This was adopted and ratified by the two local authorities (the County Councils of Baringo and Koibatek) that constitute the Joint Management Committee overseeing the Reserve.

WWF is also working with and supporting local communities to manage their natural resources sustainably while at the same time securing improvements in their livelihoods.

We have worked for government recognition and adoption of local environmental management committees established as vehicles for the planning and implementation of activities.

A revenue sharing mechanism between local authorities and the community has been developed. This has been a key local policy change that ensures revenue generated by the Lake Bogoria National Reserve is shared between the community and the two local authorities under whose jurisdiction the reserve is vested.

A Water Resource Users’ Association has been established. This is comprised of community representatives and is responsible for, in liaison with the Water Resources Management Authority, the management of water and related resources in the catchment.

We have also seen an increase in the greater kudu population. Recent estimates (from December 2006) indicate there are now 180 individuals, the largest number ever sighted in the reserve.