Lake Fitri
Encyclopedia
Lake Fitri is located in the center of Chad
about 300 km east of N’Djamena. The normal size of the lake is about 50,000 hectacre. The size of this lake can triple in wetter years. This freshwater lake is shallow and is fed by seasonal rainfall and run-off from a catchment area estimated at 70,000 km². The principal river feed is the seasonal Batha River
which carries water from the Ouaddai massif to the east.
Similarly to Chad's other lake, Lake Chad
, it is not quite as large as once was. It has been designated under the Ramsar Convention
as a Wetland of International Importance. The normally permanent lake may dry out during severe drought periods, such as occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century and again in 1984–1985.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
about 300 km east of N’Djamena. The normal size of the lake is about 50,000 hectacre. The size of this lake can triple in wetter years. This freshwater lake is shallow and is fed by seasonal rainfall and run-off from a catchment area estimated at 70,000 km². The principal river feed is the seasonal Batha River
Batha River
The Batha River is an ephemeral river in Chad. As with any rivers or lakes in this region, its existence depends on the amount of rainfall. The river's delta is at Lake Fitri in Chad. Batha River carries water west from Ouaddaï highlands during rainy seasons, usually during flash flooding....
which carries water from the Ouaddai massif to the east.
Similarly to Chad's other lake, Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
, it is not quite as large as once was. It has been designated under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
as a Wetland of International Importance. The normally permanent lake may dry out during severe drought periods, such as occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century and again in 1984–1985.