Lake Nokoué
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Lake Nokoué is a lake in the southern part of Benin. It is Script error: No such module "convert". wide and Script error: No such module "convert". long and covers an area of Script error: No such module "convert"..[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
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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 Script error: No such module "convert"..[1] Normal temperatures throughout the lake are between Script error: No such module "convert"..[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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
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
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