Lake Nokoué
Lake Nokoué is a lake in the southern part of Benin. It is 20 km (12 mi) wide and 11 km (6.8 mi) long and covers an area of 4,900 ha (12,000 acres).[1] The lake is partly fed by the Ouémé River and the Sô River, both of which deposit sediments from throughout the region in the lake.[2]
The city of Cotonou sits on the southern border of the lake. Sections of the population of Cotonou have been displaced by coastal and lake flooding.[3] On the northern edge of the lake is the town of Ganvié.
Economy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/On_The_Way_To_Jesuko_Church_%2810058705354%29.jpg/170px-On_The_Way_To_Jesuko_Church_%2810058705354%29.jpg)
Because of its diverse wildlife, the lake provides an important source of food and economic activity for these towns.[3] Fishing is best when water is low between November and June.[1] Fishing is typically of 30 species of fish, with fish from the Cichlid, Clupeidae and Penaeidae families making 85% of the catch.[1] The fishery became more stressed during the 1990s, as more people began fishing on the lake.[1] Fishing is typically artisanal, with small crew dugout canoes catching small batches of fish.[1] The estimated fish production of the lake is 2 tonnes per hectare per year.[4]
The lake is also used for Acadja, a type of fish breeding facility.[1]
Hydrology
The lake, in large part, is a lagoon.[5] With the surrounding low-lying topography, the lake is expected to double in size and flood as the current global climate change gradually affects the sea level.[3] This development carries a risk of future salinisation, which will make the freshwater lake more brackish and potentially change its ecology.[3] Different sections of the lake currently alternate between freshwater and brackish ecosystems at an average depth of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in).[1] Normal temperatures throughout the lake are between 27 and 29 °C (81 and 84 °F).[1]
The lake is a site of deposition of both pesticides and heavy metals from upstream industry and human habitation.[4] Though the pesticides are only present in fish at less than toxic levels,[4] the heavy metals in the waters can reach levels in fish both unhealthy for humans and the fish.[citation needed]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Ganvie2.jpg/250px-Ganvie2.jpg)
Geology
The floor of the lake is a mixture of sand, muddy-sand and mud layers.[1]
Ecology
Lake Nokoué has at least 78 species of fish.[5] A number of bird species exploit the wide variety of fish as food, as well as species of otter.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i ATTI – MAMA, CYRIAQUE. "CO-MANAGEMENT IN CONTINENTAL FISHING IN BENIN: THE CASE OF LAKE NOKOUE" (PDF). Proceedings of the International Workshop on Fisheries Co-management. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
- ^ Gadel, F.; Texier, H. (1986-06-01). "Distribution and nature of organic matter in recent sediments of Lake Nokoué, Benin (West Africa)". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 22 (6): 767–784. Bibcode:1986ECSS...22..767G. doi:10.1016/0272-7714(86)90098-3.
- ^ a b c d Bicknell, Jane; Dodman, David; Satterthwaite, David (2012-01-01). Adapting Cities to Climate Change: Understanding and Addressing the Development Challenges. Earthscan. pp. 120–122. ISBN 9781849770361.
- ^ a b c Yehouenou A Pazou, Elisabeth; Aléodjrodo, Patrick Edorh; Azehoun, Judicaël P.; van Straalen, Nico M.; van Hattum, Bert; Swart, Kees; van Gestel, Cornelis A. M. (2014-01-01). "Pesticide residues in sediments and aquatic species in Lake Nokoué and Cotonou Lagoon in the Republic of Bénin". Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 186 (1): 77–86. doi:10.1007/s10661-013-3357-2. ISSN 1573-2959. PMID 23942697. S2CID 35119898.
- ^ a b c Laudelout, A.; Libouis, R. (2008-04-15). "Chapter 12: On the feeding ecology of the pied kingfischer at Lake Nokoue, Benin. Is there competition with fishermen?". In Cowx, Ian G. (ed.). Interactions Between Fish and Birds: Implications for Management. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 165–177. ISBN 9780470995365.
External links
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- BirdLife Data Zone
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