Oguta Lake
| Oguta Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Oguta Lake | |
| Location | Imo State |
| Coordinates | 5°42′24″N 6°47′33″E / 5.70667°N 6.79250°E |
| Primary inflows | Utu, Awbana, Orashi and Njaba rivers |
| Basin countries | Nigeria |
| Max. depth | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Designated | 30 April 2008 |
| Reference no. | 1757[1] |
Oguta Lake is a lean 'finger lake' formed by the damming of the lower Njaba River with alluvium.[2] it is the largest natural lake in Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria;[3] within the equatorial rainforest region of Niger Delta.[3] [4] Oguta Lake's catchment area comprises the drainage area of the Njaba River and a part of the River Niger floodplain in the region south of Onitsha.[3][5]
Location[edit]
The lake is situated in Oguta about 50 kilometres (30 mi) from the junction of the Ndoni and Orashi River.[6] It is about eight kilometres (5 mi) long from east to west and 2.5 kilometres (1+1⁄2 mi)wide.[7] The lake is 5:41-5:44N, 6:41-6:50E; <50 m above sea level[8]
The stream from Njaba River is the major inflow to Oguta Lake.[9] The other three tributaries are Awbana, Utu and Orashi.[10] The Orashi River flows past Oguta Lake in its southwestern portion.[9]
Climate[edit]
The wet season is warm while the dry season is hot, muggy, and partly cloudy in Oguta Lake. During the year, the temperature typically varies from 68°F to 88°F and is rarely below 60°F or above 91°F.[11]
Based on beach/pool score, the best time of year to visit Oguta for hot-weather activities is from late November to late January.[12]
Economic importance[edit]
The lake is important to the people of oil-rich Njaba River basin including Oguta, Orsu, Mgbidi, Nkwesi, Osemotor, Nnebukwu, Mgbele, Awa Awo-Omamma Akabo as a source of water, fish, tourism and an outlet for sewerage.[13] Uhamiri is the goddess of the lake.[14]
Trade route[edit]
The river route Njaba and Orashi via Oguta Lake to the coast, passing through Awo-omamma, Mgbidi, Oguta, Ndoni, Abonnema, Degema made Oguta, Osemotor, Awo-omamma and surrounding towns.[citation needed] Oguta Lake also served as a Biafran army marine base during the Nigerian Civil War.[15]
Pictures of Oguta Lake[edit]
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Bank of Oguta Lake showing human activities and rural dwellers. These include motorcyclists, loaded pontoon and automobile drivers engaged in movement of goods, services and people. -
Bank of Oguta Lake showing human activities such as motorcycle washing and transportation of goods and people. -
Bank of Oguta Lake showing farmland and vegetation. -
A view of the infrastructure (housing) at the opposite bank of Oguta -
Different means of water transportation such as canoes and speed boat displayed at the sloping point bar of Oguta Lake. -
A loaded pontoon (goods, cars and people) at Oguta Lake -
Types of housing structures at Oguta Lake -
Swimming activity and buckets at Oguta Lake. -
Cassava fermentation process by rural women and canoes at Oguta Lake.
Climate[edit]
In Oguta, the dry season is hot, muggy, and partially cloudy whereas the wet season is warm, oppressive, and overcast. The average annual temperature ranges from 68°F to 88°F, rarely falling below 60°F or rising above 91°F.[16]
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ "Oguta Lake". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Floyd, Barry (1969). Eastern Nigeria. Springer. p. 89. ISBN 9781349006663. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ^ a b c OGUNKOYA, Prof. O.O. (2007). "Oguta Lake" (PDF). Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands(RIS) (2006–2008): 4.
- ^ "Five things to know about Oguta Lake, where two rivers meet without comi". RefinedNG. 2022-11-26. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ Duru, Victor (2022-06-01). "Oguta lake: 'Mysterious' lake in Imo state where two 'angry' rivers don't mix up". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ "Lake Oguta | Oguta Lake | World Lake Database - ILEC". wldb.ilec.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ akande, segun (2022-03-04). "Oguta Lake: In a corner of Imo, two angry rivers flow without ever coming together". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
- ^ "Lake Oguta | Oguta Lake | World Lake Database - ILEC". wldb.ilec.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
- ^ a b "Oguta Lake Imo State :: Nigeria Information & Guide". www.nigeriagalleria.com. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ "Oguta Lake: In a corner of Imo, two angry rivers flow without ever coming together". Pulse Nigeria. 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ "Weather Oguta Lake, Nigeria today - current weather forecast Oguta Lake - Meteobox.com". meteobox.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
- ^ "Oguta Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Nigeria) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
- ^ "Oguta Lake". www.ilec.or.jp. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ Chuku, Gloria (2005). Igbo women and economic transformation in southeastern Nigeria, 1900-1960. Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 0-415-97210-8.
- ^ "LakeNet -Lakes". www.worldlakes.org. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ "Oguta Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Nigeria) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
External links[edit]
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