Geographical AND CLIMATIC
Facts on Kisumu
Kenya lies across the equator on the east of the African continent. Neighbouring countries include Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to east, Tanzania to south, Uganda to west and Sudan to north-west.
Kisumu is situated on the west of Kenya.
KISUMU
LOCATION:
1. Mara, Muwanza
and West Lake, Tanzania; North Buganda, South Buganda and Busoga, Uganda; and Nyanza and Western, Kenya.
Lake
Victoria, the largest of all African Lakes, is also the second widest
freshwater body in the world. Its extensive surface belongs to the three
countries; the northern half to Uganda, the southern half to Tanzania, and part
of the northeastern sector to Kenya. The lake
occupies a wide depression near the equator, between the East and West Great
Rift Valleys, but its drainage basin is relatively small, being slightly less
than three times the lake's surface in area. The lake water is drained at a
rate of about 600 m3 sec-1, at Jinja on the northern
shore, into the Victoria Nile which flows northward via Lake Albert and the
White Nile forming the uppermost reaches of the Nile River.
The lake shore is highly indented, and there are many isles in the lake, some
of which, especially the Sesse Group, are known for
their beautiful landscape, health resorts and sightseeing places. Abundant
prehistoric remains found around the lake indicate the early development of
agriculture. There are a number of coastal towns such as Kisumu
(Kenya), Entebe (Uganda), Bukoba,
Muwanza and Musoma
(Tanzania), connected with each other by ship routes and also to the cities of
the Indian Ocean coast by railways. The dam constructed in 1954 at Owen Falls
on the Victoria Nile supplies electricity and water for various uses in Uganda
and Kenya.
PHYSICAL
DIMENSIONS
Surface area [km2] |
68,800 |
Volume [km3] |
2,750 |
Maximum depth [m] |
84 |
Mean depth [m] |
40 |
Water level |
Regulated |
Length of shoreline [km] |
3,440 |
Residence time [yr] |
23 |
Catchment area [km2] |
184,000 |
|
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Ann. |
Mean temp [deg OC] |
24.0 |
23.6 |
23.9 |
23.2 |
23.1 |
23.3 |
21.8 |
22.1 |
22.8 |
23.4 |
23.3 |
23.3 |
23.1 |
Precipitation [mm]
|
57 |
70 |
160 |
195 |
177 |
101 |
68 |
96 |
79 |
64 |
106 |
105 |
1,278 |
LAND USE IN KENYAN PART OF THE CATCHMENT AREA
1985 |
||
|
Area [km2] |
[%] |
Natural landscape
|
29,500 |
62 |
- Woody vegetation |
7,000 |
15 |
- Herbaceous vegetation |
22,500 |
47 |
Agricultural land |
15,500 |
32 |
- Crop field |
11,000 |
23 |
- Pasture land and fallow land |
4,500 |
9 |
Residential area and others |
2,700 |
6 |
Total |
47,700* |
100 |
* 26% of the whole catchment area.
1. The main types of woody
vegetation is Savanna woodland (Acacia, Albizzia and Butyrospermum).
2. The main species of
herbaceous vegetation is Cymbopogon, Hyparrhenia, Londetia and Cyperus papyrus.
3. The main kinds of crop are
Maize, cotton, sisal, tobacco, beans, sugar cane, coffee, sorghum, millet,
wheat and root crops (cassava, etc.).
4. The levels of fertiliser
application on the crops fields is light.
INDUSTRIES
IN THE CATCHMENT AREA AND THE LAKE
1985 |
||
|
Gross product
per year [mill. KŁ |
Main products or
major industries |
Primary industry |
||
-Cash crops |
89 |
Value Coffee, tea,
cotton, sugarcane |
-Animal
husbandry |
97 |
added Milk, meat |
-Fisheries |
10 |
Nile perch, tilapia |
-Staple crops |
181 |
|
Secondary industry |
400 Gross |
Coffee & tea
processing, sugar, pulp, dairy product, foods, leather, textile |
1985 |
|||
|
Population |
Populationdensity
[km-2] |
Major cities
(population) |
Urban |
630,000 |
|
|
Rural |
7,480,000 |
Kisumu,
Eldoret |
|
Total |
8,110,000 |
170 |
|
1986 |
|
|
Use rate [m3
sec-1] |
Domestic |
0.17 (for Kisumu) |
Irrigation |
1.7 (near Kisumu) |
TOXIC CONTAMINATION
Kisumu Bay of Winam
Gulf
|
||
Name of
contaminants |
Concentrations
[ppb] Fish* |
Main Sources |
DDE
|
4.3 |
Pesticide |
* Lates
niloticus (Nile perch) on wet weight basis.
EUTROPHICATION
GENERATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA
Measurable pollution with limited
wastewater treatment.
* In Kenyan part.
SANITARY FACILITIES AND SEWERAGE
None.
An integrated regional development master plan for 1987-2005 is being drawn up by the Lake Basin Development Authority (Kenya) for agricultural, industrial, livestock, fishery and infrastructure developments.
NATIONAL AND LOCAL LAWS CONCERNED*
*Kenya only.
*Kenya only.
RESEARCH INSTITUTES ENGAGED IN THE LAKE ENVIRONMENT STUDIES