Oguta Lake
| Oguta Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Oguta Lake | |
| Location | Imo State |
| Coordinates | 5°42′24″N 6°47′33″E / 5.70667°N 6.79250°ECoordinates: 5°42′24″N 6°47′33″E / 5.70667°N 6.79250°E |
| Native name | Ogbuide, Ughamiri (Igbo) |
| 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] 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]
Location[]
The lake is situated in Oguta about thirty miles (48.27 km) from the junction of the Ndoni and Orashi River. It is about five miles (8.05 km) long from east to west and a mile and half (2.41 km) wide.[citation needed] The stream from Njaba River is the major inflow to Oguta Lake.[citation needed] The other 3 tributaries are Awbana, Utu and Orashi. The Orashi River flows past Oguta Lake in its southwestern portion.
Economic Importance[]
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.[4] Uhamiri is the goddess of the lake.[5]
Trade Route[]
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 important commercial centres of international trade mainly for oil palm.[citation needed] Oguta Lake also served as a Biafran army marine base during the Nigerian Civil War.[6]
Footnotes[]
- ^ "Oguta Lake". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Floyd, Barry (1969). Eastern Nigeria. Springer. p. 89. ISBN 9781349006663. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c OGUNKOYA, Prof. O.O. (2007). "Oguta Lake" (PDF). Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands(RIS) (2006–2008): 4.
- ^ "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.
External links[]
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- Lakes of Nigeria
- Tourist attractions in Imo State
- Geography of Nigeria
- Imo State
- Ramsar sites in Nigeria
- Nigeria geography stubs