Lake Kachera Explained

Lake Kachera
Location:Rakai District
Type:Fresh water
Part Of:Lake Victoria basin
Inflow:River Rwizi
Basin Countries:Uganda
Outflow:Kagera River

Lake Kachera is also known as Lake Kachira, Lake Kacheera, Lake Kakyera and Lake Kachra is a shallow fresh water lake that is located in Rakai district and Mbarara district in Uganda.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] It is a part of the Mburo-Nakivale wetland system and also a part of the complex system of lakes known as Koki lakes that are separated by vast swamps.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] It is also one of the lakes that make the Victoria satellite lakes.

Location

Lake Kachera is located in Mbarara district in the Western part of Uganda. Lake Kachera is located at coordinates .[12] [13] [14] Lake Kachera is located at an altitude of 1232m (4,042feet) above sea level. It is located near Lake Mburo National Park.[15] [16]

Lake Kachera is a part of the Koki Lakes system of lakes that are separated from Lake Victoria by an extension of vast swamps, and it is also one of the lakes that make the Victoria satellite lakes.[17] [18] [19] The Koki Lakes consist of Lake Kachera, Lake Mburo, Lake Kijanebalola and Lake Nakivali.

Geography and formation

After the 1997 El Niño event, Lake Kacheera lost most of its waters to Lake Victoria due to a massive water flow via Lake Kijjanebarora and its level fell by 3 metres.[20] Lake Kachera also lost its floating island that used to be a refugium for the fish. Its shores are covered with swamps, thickets and woodlands.[21]

Lake Kachera is a shallow lake with an average depth of 5 metres (16 feet) and also cover an area of 42km2 and a shoreline of 81 km.[22] It has a maximum length of 20km (10miles) and width of 3.5km (02.2miles).[23]

River Ruizi flows from the Bushenyi district and passes through Lake Kachera and Lake Kijanebalola before it enters into Lake Mburo and ending in Lake Victoria.[24] It drains it waters into Lake Victoria via Kagera River which is its only river out flow.

River Rwizi also pours its water into Lake Victoria through Lake Kachera which is a drainage system for Lake Victoria.[25] [26] [27]

Ecology

Lake Kachera has different species of birds, fish, plants and animals.[28] [29]

Fish species

Lake Kachera has different species of fish that include; the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis esculentus, (locally known as engege), and Astatoreochromis, Astatotilapia, Clarias, Haragachromis, and Protopterus species.[30] [31]

Lake Kachera has native non-cichlid fish that include; Clarias gariepinus, Clarias liocephalus, and Protopterus aethiopicus.[32]

Plant species

Lake Kachera's shoreline vegetation has Cyperus papyrus, Cyperus esculentus, Phragmites mauritianus, some forest, and banana plantations.[33]

Algal species

Lake Kachera has a total of 47 taxa including; Cyanophyta (17), Chlorophyta (19), Bacillariophyta (5), Euglenophyta (3), Pyrrophyta (1), Chrysophyta (1), and Cryptophyta (1).

Animal species

Zooplankton

Lake Kachera has 22 zooplankton taxa. There are representatives of the Diplostraca; Ceriodaphnia cornuta, Moina micrura, Eucyclops, Mesocyclops, Toronaeus incisus, and Toronaeus neglectus, and the Rotifera, including; Asplanchna, Brachionus angularis, Brachionus bidentatus, Brachionus budapestinensis, Brachionus quadridentatus, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus falcatus, Brachionus patulus, Filinia longiseta, Filinia opoliensis, Hexarthra, Keratella tropica, Lecane bulla, Polyarthra vulgaris, Synchaeta pectinata, and Trichocerca cylindrica.

Amphibians

Lake Kachera has 8 species of amphibians that include; Bufo gutturalis (guttural toad), Hyperolius acuticeps (sharp-nosed reed frog), Hyperolius kivuensis kivuensis (Kivu reed frog), Hyperolius viridiflavus bayoni, and Hyperolius viridiflavus viridiflavus (common reed frog), Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Natal dwarf puddle frog), Ptychadena mascareniensis (Mascarene grassland frog), Ptychadena oxyrhynchus (Kaffirland grassland frog), Ptychadena porissisima (Ethiopia grassland frog), and Xenopus victorianus (Lake Victoria clawed frog).

Reptiles

Lake Kachera has 7 species of reptiles that include; Agama atricollis (common tree agama), Cocodylus niloticus (Nile crocodile), Mabuya maculilabris (speckle-lipped skink), Mabuya striata (common striped skink), Naja melanoleuca (water cobra), Python sebae (rock python), and Varanus niloticus (Nile monitor).

Mammals

Lake Kachera has 5 species of mammals that include; Atilax paludinosus (marsh mongoose), Hippopotamus amphibius (hippopotamus), Lophuromys sikapusi (common brush-furred bat), Lutra maculicollis (spot-necked otter), and Praomys jacksoni (Jackson’s soft-furred rat).

Economic and human activities

Fishing, Fish processing, tourism, agriculture, livestock keeping, Mixed farming are some of the economic activities that are carried out around Lake Kachera.[34] [35] [36] [37]

Conservation

Rakai district authories campaign for sustainable fishing by giving fishermen guidelines and making new rules and regulations such restricting fishing on some landing sites, arresting those who participate in illegal fishing activities by through water and land patrols and also partnering with the Uganda government agencies and fishing community organizations (BMU).[38] [39] [40] [41]

From 2017 to 2020, National Environment Management Authority of Uganda (NEMA) restored 200 hactres of the degraded Lake Kachera shoreline wetland ecosystem in Kiruhura district through buffer zone demarcation, tree planting and removal of illegal structures in the buffer zones, and community sensitization on ecosystem management.[42] [43] [44]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 5 January 2021 . Smelly water threatens livelihoods in lyantonde . 22 May 2024 . Monitor . en .
  2. Web site: Fred . Turyakira . 4 June 2021 . Companies asked for support to save river Rwizi . 21 May 2024 . New Vision .
  3. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en . 10 July 2024 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109045109/http://www.umb.no/statisk/e-bok/document/Rakai_development_plan.pdf . live .
  4. Web site: OpenStreetMap . 22 May 2024 . OpenStreetMap . en . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213415/https://www.openstreetmap.org/search . live .
  5. Web site: Independent . The . 27 January 2022 . Rakai launches campaign for sustainable fishing on Lake Kachera, Kijanebarola . 22 May 2024 . The Independent Uganda . en-US . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522103849/https://www.independent.co.ug/rakai-launches-campaign-for-sustainable-fishing-on-lake-kachera-kijanebarola/ . live .
  6. Web site: Lake Kachira lake, Western Region, Uganda . 17 June 2024 . ug.geoview.info .
  7. Book: Dismas, Mbabazi . Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda . 1 January 2009 . Nature Uganda . Uganda . 76, 77, 80 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/78049050.pdf . live .
  8. Web site: Lake Kachera . 22 May 2024 . Inside Lake Mburo National Park . en-US .
  9. Book: Kibwika, Daniel . Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . Human activities and interests within and around lakes of the Victoria and Kyoga basin and their consequences to sustainable fish production, Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . 2000 . National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) . Uganda . 2000 . 4, 7 . 1834/35204 . en .
  10. Book: Eric O. . Odada . Environment for Development: An Ecosystems Assessment of Lake Victoria Basin Environmental and Socio-economic Status, Trends and Human Vulnerabilities . Daniel O. . Olago . Washington O. . Ochola . 2006 . United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Pan African START Secretariat (PASS) . Kenya . 79, 83, 93, 98, 102, 104, 109, 110, 111 . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/7987/environment_development.pdf . live .
  11. Web site: Lake Kachera . 17 June 2024 . Inside Lake Mburo National Park . en-US .
  12. Web site: OpenStreetMap . 22 May 2024 . OpenStreetMap . en . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213415/https://www.openstreetmap.org/search . live .
  13. Web site: Lake Kachera . 22 May 2024 . Inside Lake Mburo National Park . en-US .
  14. Web site: Lake Kachera . 17 June 2024 . Mbarara Tours . en-US . 17 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240617142344/https://mbararatours.com/attractions/lake-kachera.html . live .
  15. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en .
  16. Book: Dismas, Mbabazi . Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda . 1 January 2009 . Nature Uganda . Uganda . 76, 77, 80 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/78049050.pdf . live .
  17. Book: Kibwika, Daniel . Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . Human activities and interests within and around lakes of the Victoria and Kyoga basin and their consequences to sustainable fish production, Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . 2000 . National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) . Uganda . 2000 . 4, 7 . 1834/35204 . en .
  18. Book: Eric O. . Odada . Environment for Development: An Ecosystems Assessment of Lake Victoria Basin Environmental and Socio-economic Status, Trends and Human Vulnerabilities . Daniel O. . Olago . Washington O. . Ochola . 2006 . United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Pan African START Secretariat (PASS) . Kenya . 79, 83, 93, 98, 102, 104, 109, 110, 111 . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/7987/environment_development.pdf . live .
  19. Web site: 5 January 2021 . Smelly water threatens livelihoods in lyantonde . 22 May 2024 . Monitor . en . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522162018/https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/reviews-profiles/smelly-water-threatens-livelihoods-in-lyantonde-1512590 . live .
  20. Book: Kibwika, Daniel . Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . Human activities and interests within and around lakes of the Victoria and Kyoga basin and their consequences to sustainable fish production, Biodiversity of Lake Victoria: Its conservation and sustainable use . 2000 . National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) . Uganda . 2000 . 4, 7 . 1834/35204 . en .
  21. Braczkowski . Aleksander . Schenk . Ralph . Samarasinghe . Dinal . Biggs . Duan . Richardson . Allie . Swanson . Nicholas . Swanson . Merlin . Dheer . Arjun . Fattebert . Julien . 27 January 2022 . Leopard and spotted hyena densities in the Lake Mburo National Park, southwestern Uganda . PeerJ . en . 10 . e12307 . 10.7717/peerj.12307 . free . 35127275 . 8801179 . 2167-8359 .
  22. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en . 10 July 2024 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109045109/http://www.umb.no/statisk/e-bok/document/Rakai_development_plan.pdf . live .
  23. Book: Dismas, Mbabazi . Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda . 1 January 2009 . Nature Uganda . Uganda . 76, 77, 80 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/78049050.pdf . live .
  24. Web site: Habari . 5 January 2023 . Attractions in Mbarara Mbarara City Tour Uganda Safaris Tours . 22 May 2024 . www.habariugandatours.com . en-US . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://www.habariugandatours.com/attractions-in-mbarara/ . live .
  25. Web site: 12 September 2021 . River Rwizi on the verge of drying up . 22 May 2024 . Monitor . en .
  26. Web site: 19 July 2020 . Conservationists walk 330 kilometres to save River Rwizi . 22 May 2024 . Monitor . en . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522162023/https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/conservationists-walk-330-kilometres-to-save-river-rwizi-1879882 . live .
  27. Web site: Mbarara: A city choking on plastic waste . 22 May 2024 . New Vision . en .
  28. Web site: Lake Kachera . 22 May 2024 . Inside Lake Mburo National Park . en-US .
  29. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en . 10 July 2024 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109045109/http://www.umb.no/statisk/e-bok/document/Rakai_development_plan.pdf . live .
  30. Web site: Independent . The . 27 January 2022 . Rakai launches campaign for sustainable fishing on Lake Kachera, Kijanebarola . 22 May 2024 . The Independent Uganda . en-US . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522103849/https://www.independent.co.ug/rakai-launches-campaign-for-sustainable-fishing-on-lake-kachera-kijanebarola/ . live .
  31. Book: Dismas, Mbabazi . Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda . 1 January 2009 . Nature Uganda . Uganda . 76, 77, 80 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/78049050.pdf . live .
  32. Book: Eric O. . Odada . Environment for Development: An Ecosystems Assessment of Lake Victoria Basin Environmental and Socio-economic Status, Trends and Human Vulnerabilities . Daniel O. . Olago . Washington O. . Ochola . 2006 . United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Pan African START Secretariat (PASS) . Kenya . 79, 83, 93, 98, 102, 104, 109, 110, 111 . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/7987/environment_development.pdf . live .
  33. Web site: 5 January 2021 . Smelly water threatens livelihoods in lyantonde . 22 May 2024 . Monitor . en . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522162018/https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/reviews-profiles/smelly-water-threatens-livelihoods-in-lyantonde-1512590 . live .
  34. Web site: Independent . The . 27 January 2022 . Rakai launches campaign for sustainable fishing on Lake Kachera, Kijanebarola . 22 May 2024 . The Independent Uganda . en-US . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522103849/https://www.independent.co.ug/rakai-launches-campaign-for-sustainable-fishing-on-lake-kachera-kijanebarola/ . live .
  35. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en . 10 July 2024 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109045109/http://www.umb.no/statisk/e-bok/document/Rakai_development_plan.pdf . live .
  36. Book: Dismas, Mbabazi . Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda . 1 January 2009 . Nature Uganda . Uganda . 76, 77, 80 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522131044/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/78049050.pdf . live .
  37. Book: HULME, D. . COMMUNITY CONSERVATION IN PRACTICE: A CASE STUDY OF LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK . 1998 . Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester . 1-900728915 . Crawford House, Precinct Centre, Oxford Road, MANCHESTER M13 9GH . 14, 30, 36 . en .
  38. Web site: Independent . The . 27 January 2022 . Rakai launches campaign for sustainable fishing on Lake Kachera, Kijanebarola . 22 May 2024 . The Independent Uganda . en-US . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522103849/https://www.independent.co.ug/rakai-launches-campaign-for-sustainable-fishing-on-lake-kachera-kijanebarola/ . live .
  39. Book: THREE YEAR PRODUCTION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN . RAKAI DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT . Uganda . 6, 8, 14, 15 . en . 10 July 2024 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109045109/http://www.umb.no/statisk/e-bok/document/Rakai_development_plan.pdf . live .
  40. Book: The Uganda Gazette . Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) . 2010 . 53 . CIII . Uganda . 3 September 2010 . 195, 196, 214 . en . 10 July 2024 . 15 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240615190216/https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/ug/2010/ug-government-gazette-dated-2010-09-03-no-53.pdf . live .
  41. Book: Local government Workplan for 2013/14, Vote: 549 Rakai District . Ministry of Finance, Government of Uganda . Uganda . 45, 46, 100 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522162019/https://budget.finance.go.ug/sites/default/files/Indivisual%20LG%20Budgets/LG%20%20Annual%20Workplan_201314_Rakai.pdf . live .
  42. Book: ANNUALCORPORATE REPORT FOR 2018/19 . 2019 . National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) . Uganda . 2019 . 17, 18, 44 . en . 10 July 2024 . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522162020/https://www.nema.go.ug/sites/default/files/NEMA%20Annual%20Report%20FY%202018-19_0.pdf . live .
  43. Book: Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2019 . Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda . 2019 . Uganda . 122, 152, 153 . en .
  44. Book: Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2020 . Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda . 2020 . Uganda . 196 . en . 10 July 2024 . 19 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230819221145/https://www.globalwaters.org/sites/default/files/spr-20-final-combined.pdf . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lake Kachera".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.