LAKE VICTORIA BASIN

Figure 1.4: Sub-basins of the Lake Victoria Basin

There are several satellite lakes that are part of the

LVB. These include (Lake Victoria Basin Commission

2007a):

• Lake Wamala (150-250 km²). This is in the Katonga

sub-basin in Uganda and is completely surrounded

by wetlands. It drains seasonally towards Lake

Victoria. The Lake and its wetlands are closely

associated with local cultural norms and beliefs and

are of traditional and cultural significance to the

people of Buganda.

• Lake Nabugabo (40 km²). This is about 20 km east

of Masaka and 4 km west of Lake Victoria and is

surrounded by wetlands (around 220 km²). It is a

designated Ramsar site because of its unique flora

and fauna.

• Lake Mburo (12 km²), Nakivali (31 km²), Kachira (40

km²) and Kijanebalola (42 km²). These form part of

the Kijanebalola Swamp complex in the Bukora sub-

basin in Uganda.

• Lakes Burera (5.5 km²) and Ruhondo (2.8 km²). These

are located in the middle reaches of the Kagera

sub-basin in Rwanda. They are connected and drain

through the Mukungwa into the Nyabarongo River and

into Lakes Muhazi (30 km

) and Mugeseara (35 km

)

to the east and south-east, respectively, of Kigali.

• Lake Rweru (102 km²) and Cyohoha South (78 km²)

– also known as Cohoha. These are on the border

between Rwanda and Burundi in the Nyabarongo

sub-basin and flow towards the Nyabarongo River.

Lake Cyohoha provides outflows during seasonal

flood events and Lake Rweru is only recharged by the

Nyabarongo River during flood events.

• Lake Ihema (9.1 km²). This is on the border between

Rwanda and Tanzania in the middle reaches of the

Kagera sub-basin and is part of the Kagera riverine

wetlands system.

• Lake Kanyaboli (10.5 km²). This is fed by the Yala/

Nzoia sub-basins in Kenya, as well as the Yala River

waters via an artificial canal.

MARA

SONDU

NYANDO

NZOLA

SIO

GUCHA-MIGORI

GRUMETI

SIMIYU

NYASHISHI

GEITA-BUKOBA

KAGERA

BUKORA

KATONGA

MOGOGO

MOAME

ISANGA

KENYA

UGANDA

DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC OF THE

CONGO

RWANDA

BURUNDI

TANZANIA

Lake

Albert

Lake

Kyoga

Lake

Baringo

Lake

Bogoria

Lake

Naivasha

Lake

Kivu

Lake

Tangayika

Lake

George

Lake

Kyanebalola

Kagera

Lake

Ikimba

Lake

Burigi

Simiyu

Mbalageti

Mara

Nzola

Sondu

Victoria Nile

Katonga

Lake

Kachira

Lake

Wamala

Lake

Edward

Lake Victoria

100 km

Sub-basins

Sources: East African Community, Lake Victoria Commission, 2007, “Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Lake Victoria Basin”;

C.K. Twesigye et al., 2011, “The impact of land use Activities on vegetation cover and water quality in the Lake Victoria watershed”,

The Open Environmental Engineering Journal, vol. 4, pp. 66-77; F.L. Mwanuzi et al., 2005, “Lake Victoria Regional Water Quality

Synthesis Report”, Lake Victoria environment management project.

Sub-basins

Lake Victoria basin

Altitude

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 500

1 000

500

200

5 000 m