Review: Rising waters, rising concerns
Rising Waters, Rising Concerns: Research Project Reveals Causes Behind Kenya's Expanding Rift Valley
The GreatLakes research project, a collaborative 40-month initiative between the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), examined the hydrological, ecological, and socio-economic implications of these water level fluctuations. Kenya's Rift Valley lakes, recognized as RAMSAR wetlands of international importance and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have experienced unprecedented water level rises since 2010, threatening both ecosystems and communities. Lake Baringo, with a catchment area of 6,600 km², exemplifies this crisis—its water level rose dramatically from 972 m above sea level before 2009 to 981.5 m in 2020, an increase of 9.5 m. Recent measurements show levels approaching this historic peak again.