Lake Basaka ( om, Hora Basakaa;
Amharic: በሰቃ ሐይቅ) is a shallow,
saline lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salt (chemistry), salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of ...
in the
Oromia Region
Oromia (Amharic: ) ( om, Oromiyaa) is a regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. The capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa.
It is bordered by the Somali Region to the east; the Amhara Region, the Afar Region and the Benis ...
of central
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
. It is located in the
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a series of contiguous geographic trenches, approximately in total length, that runs from Lebanon in Asia to Mozambique in Southeast Africa. While the name continues in some usages, it is rarely used in geology as it ...
about south east of the capital
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
. The lake is at an elevation of .
Growth
The salt lake has grown significantly in the past 50 years, growing from in 1957 to in 2008. The lake is growing to the east and northeast due to the local topography.
Impact
Agriculture
Due to the growth of the lake, there is an increasing concern that it will permanently damage the nearby
Awash River
The Awash (sometimes spelled Awaash; Oromo: ''Awaash'', Amharic: አዋሽ, Afar: ''We'ayot'', Somali: ''Webiga Dir'') is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia and empties into a chain of i ...
, which is a major water source for nearby
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...
and
sugar plantations. These crops have significant economic importance to the region and the whole of Ethiopia.
The
salinity of the lake is 10.7 dS/m. The water salinity is also affecting the area groundwater as the salinity levels have increased in most plantation sections,
and local sugar refineries have reduced production rates due to the loss of growing area.
Population
In 2011, a school succumbed to the growing level of the lake.
Highway number 4, the main route between Addis Ababa and
Djibouti
Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...
has a permanent detour that has been constructed since the old highway is submerged. Homes have also been lost due to the expansion.
It has been predicted that in 20–30 years, the town of Metehara will be displaced along with 21,000 citizens.
See also
*
Rift Valley lakes
The Rift Valley lakes are a series of lakes in the East African Rift valley that runs through eastern Africa from Ethiopia in the north to Malawi in the south, and includes the African Great Lakes in the south. These include some of the world's ...
References
Basaka
Basaka
Ethiopian Highlands
Geography of Oromia Region
{{Oromia-geo-stub