Lake Chad is a generally huge, shallow lake in Africa, which has differed in estimate throughout the hundreds of years. Lake Chad is monetarily vital, supplying water to in excess of 30 million individuals living in the four nations encompassing it (Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria) on the edge of the Sahara. It is the biggest lake in the Chad Basin.
As indicated by the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Program, it shrivelled significantly by 95% from around 1963 to 1998, however, “the 2007 (satellite) picture demonstrates critical change over earlier years.”
The Lake Chad is 1350 square kilometres in area with an average depth of 1.5 metres. The maximum depth is 11 metres. It holds an average of 72 cubic kilometres of water.
Geography:
Lake Chad is a freshwater lake situated in the Sahelian zone of the west and central Africa. It is situated in the inside bowl which used to be involved by a substantially bigger antiquated ocean is at times called Mega-Chad.
Lake Chad is for the most part in the furthest west of Chad, verging on northeastern Nigeria. The lake is truly positioned as one of the biggest lakes in Africa. In any case, its surface region differs via season and also each economical year. The Chari River, encouraged by its tributary the Logone, gives more than 90% of the lake’s water, with a little sum originating from the Yobe River in Nigeria/Niger.
In spite of elevated amounts of dissipation, the lake is fresh and fragile. The lake has many small islands in between and mud reefs. The shorelines are to a great extent made out of bogs.
Since Lake Chad is extremely shallow—just 10.5 meters (34 ft) at its most profound—its territory is especially touchy to little changes in normal profundity. This is the main reason behind its subsequent changes in the area.
Lake Chad has no evident outlet, yet its waters permeate into the Soro and Bodélé miseries. The atmosphere over it is mostly dry, with direct precipitation from July till September.
Flora:
The lake is home to in excess of 44 varieties of green growth. The lake additionally has extensive regions of marsh and reedbeds. Specifically, it is one of the world’s significant makers of wild spirulina. The floodplains on the southern lakeshore are canvassed in wetland grasses, for example, Echinochloa pyramidalis, Vetiveria nigritana, Oryza longistaminata, and Hyparrhenia rufa.
Fauna:
The Lake Chad Basin holds over 180 total varieties of fishes. Half of its species are shared with the Niger River Basin, Nile River Basin and Congo River Basin. So the distribution goes on like this and gets bestowed in its pathway. The division makes Lake Chad hold only 90 species of fishes.
Importance of Lake Chad for Nigeria:
1. The Lake Chad is a huge source of water to the people of Nigeria economically.
2. People feel relaxed around water as symbolized by the expression “water and greenery.” People use lakeshores for exercising, walking and other recreation and sports activities such as boating.
3. Local people use the lake as a source of income like fishing.
4. There are many such advantages of this lake to the people of Nigeria.
