We’re towards to end of the rainy season now, it’s been raining for a fair few months and we’re about to hit some of the driest months of the year. It is amazing to see how much the level of the lake has risen this rainy season.
Here is the main beach pictured in February this year (left) and just a few days ago. The water has risen to the grassy bank in the base of the Feb photo. (A floating bed of papyrus has floated across and partially blocked the beach in the right photo).
The lake is part of the River Rwizi catchment, a catchment of about 8,000km2, stretching across 10 districts. The river itself is about 55km long and its waters eventually drain in to Lake Victoria. Lake Kacheera is one of numerous lakes which make up the lower end of the catchment, others include Lake Mburo, Lake Nakivale and Lake Kijanebalola. These lakes are linked through numerous wetland systems and form the largest part of the catchment.
Over a heavy rainy season, as we have just experienced, a huge amount of water collects over this vast area and makes its way eastward. Hence why we see the impact late in the rainy season being almost at the end of this catchment. The lake level has been very low for the past year or two and it’s great to see the lake once more at levels akin to three years ago.
Above: Building our hide in April the beach was low, now it’s almost lapping at the base!
We’re now installing a measuring stick in our bay to record lake levels so we can see more accurately the rise and fall of the lake over the course of a year.
The lakeside path is a fun adventure as it’s completely underwater, wellies are now a must to reach the forest platform, either that or wet feet!
kacheeracamp.com 