Lake Ahémé | |
Location: | southwestern Benin |
Coords: | 6.495°N 1.975°W |
Pushpin Map: | Benin |
Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Lake Ahémé in Benin |
Inflow: | Couffo River |
Outflow: | Aho Channel |
Basin Countries: | Benin |
Length: | 24km (15miles) |
Width: | 5.5km (03.4miles) |
Area: | NaNkm2 |
Elevation: | NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) |
Cities: | Agatogbo, Agbanto, Akodéha, Bopa, Dekanmè, Kpomassè, Possotomè, Tokpa-Domè |
Lake Ahémé is Benin's second largest lake, with an area of in the dry season which expands to in the rainy season.[1] The lake is long and has an average width of .[2] The Couffo River drains into the swampy north end of the lake, while the 10 km-long Aho Channel connects the lake's southern end to the Grand-Popo Lagoon on the Atlantic coast.[1] This channel flows south during the wet season but reverses direction in the dry season, which causes the salinity of the lake's southern end to increase.[1]
The Pedah and the Ayizo are the two main ethnic groups living on the shores of Lake Ahémé.[1] [3] Fishing and agriculture are the main economic activities in the area.[2] [1] In the lake, 71 species of fish have been recorded.[4] [5]
The comprising the marshes of the lower Couffo, Lake Ahémé, the Aho Channel and the adjoining coastal lagoon have been designated as a Ramsar site[4] and an Important Bird Area.[6]