By Antony Gitonga
The fate of three other lakes in Rift Valley hangs in the balance as the El Nino rains failed to raise their levels as was expected.
Lake Nakuru, Elementaita and Bogoria are threatened by human destruction of catchment areas and change in weather patterns.
According to statistics from the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA), Lake Nakuru has receded from its traditional shoreline by close to 40 per cent.
Naivasha sub-regional manager of WRMA Kimeu Musau said the lake status is ‘serious but stable.’
Three rivers that drain into it -Makalia, Nderit, Baharini springs- have dried up and only the Njoro-river drains into it though its levels have also shrunk.
Of the six million flamingoes in the world, four million are found in East Africa and one million in Lake Nakuru, which makes it a tourist attraction site.
Musau attributes this to the destruction of the Mau forest, which provides water to the lake.
"The ongoing debate on the destruction and efforts to rehabilitate the Mau forest has exposed the dangers facing some of our lakes.
Most affected
The most affected of these lakes is Elementaita whose size has shrunk by over 50 per cent in the last two years.
Musau says the lake is one of the shallowest.
River Mbaruk, which was the only source of water for the lake, became seasonal in the 1990s due to environmental degradation.
Other lakes such as Baringo, Solai, Bogoria and Turkana, all in the Rift Valley, have also been affected and are exercising low water levels.
