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74-515: Lodwar is the largest town in north-western Kenya, located west of Lake Turkana on the A1 road . Its main industries are basket weaving and tourism . The Loima Hills lie to its west. Lodwar is the capital of Turkana County . The town had a population of 82,970 in the 2019 census. According to the Insider’s guide to Kenya Lodwar's history began around 1933 when a trader named Shah Mohamed arrived on

148-492: A Hungarian and an Austrian , on 6 March 1888. They were the first Europeans to have recorded visiting the lake after a long safari across East Africa. The lake kept its European name during the colonial period of British East Africa . However, the existence of the lake and its shape and location were well known in Europe long before Teleki conceived of his visit. At some unknown time, the lake acquired an alternative name as

222-541: A nameplate capacity of 850 kilowatts. As of October 2016 155 turbines had been installed with completion expected in 2017. It will be the largest wind power project in Africa. Full commercial operation achieved in March 2019. 100% Capacity Factor (meaning full 310 MW generated) achieved in March 2021. The Gibe III dam is already under construction by Ethiopia along its Omo River, with general recognition that it will cause

296-437: A 1968 study by Alistair Graham. The lake also has a large population of large water turtles, particularly in the area of Central Island. The Turkana mud turtle is endemic to the lake. Over the dry grasslands ranges a frail population of grazing mammals and predators. The grazers are chiefly Grevy's zebra , Burchell's zebra , the beisa oryx , Grant's gazelle , the topi and the reticulated giraffe . They are hunted by

370-508: A French expedition. The most significant finds were made later, between 1967 and 1975, by an international archaeological team. This team located a number of different items, including the jawbone of an Australopithecus man, estimated at some 2.5 million years old. Archeologists have also found fossil fragments of Olduwan hominids from the early Pleistocene era and up to the Pliocene era. Quartz tools have been located with some of

444-536: A dry riverbed, the Lomekwi 3 site recovered primitive hammers, anvils, and cutting tools.  However, the emergence of Acheulean technology no longer assumes that tool use was a distinguishing factor among Homo species as Australopithecus afarensis were also using simple tools prior to the appearance of the genus Homo , over 3.3 million years ago. Australopithecus anamensis fossils discovered by Meave Leakey in 1994 date to around 4 million years ago, setting

518-418: A further drop in the lake level.[29] Friends of Lake Turkana, a Kenyan organisation representing indigenous groups in northwestern Kenya whose livelihoods are linked to Lake Turkana, had previously estimated that the dam could reduce the level of Lake Turkana by up to 10 meter affecting up to 300,000 people.[30] This could cause the brackish water to increase in salinity to where it may no longer be drinkable by

592-649: A high risk for a magnitude 7 or 8 earthquake in the Gibe III dam region. The magnitude of the impact that the dam and possible irrigation projects induced by the dam will have on the water level of Lake Turkana is controversial. A hydrological study conducted for the African Development Bank in November 2010 concluded that the filling of the dam will reduce the lake's water level by two metres, if no irrigation will be undertaken. Irrigation would cause

666-693: A large S- bend then resumes its southerly course to Lake Turkana. According to materials published by the Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency , the Omo-Bottego River is 760 kilometres (470 mi) long. In its course the Omo-Bottego has a total fall of about 700 metres (2,300 ft) from the confluence of the Gibe and Wabe rivers at 1,060 metres (3,480 ft) to 360 metres (1,180 ft) at lake-level, and

740-536: A major decrease in river flow downstream and a serious reduction of inflow to Kenya's Lake Turkana, which receives 90 per cent of its waters from the river. According to the ARWG [citation needed] report, these changes will destroy the survival means of at least 200,000 pastoralists, flood-dependent agriculturalists and fishers along the Omo River 300,000 pastoralists and fishers around the shores of Lake Turkana – plunging

814-564: A profound influence on the level of Lake Turkana and adjacent water bodies. The archaeoastronomical site Namoratunga which has been dated circa 300 BC is located near Lake Turkana. Hominin fossils of some of the earliest human ancestors have been found in the Turkana Basin. Lake Turkana is considered the cradle of human life because of the diverse hominid species found living millions of years apart, in this desert landscape.  These fossils have facilitated our understanding of

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888-436: A source of diseases spread by contaminated water. Increasingly, communities on the lake's shores rely on underground springs for drinking water. The same characteristics that make it unsuitable for drinking limit its use in irrigation . The climate is hot and very dry. The rocks of the surrounding area are predominantly volcanic . Central Island is an active volcano, emitting vapour. Outcrops and rocky shores are found on

962-622: A tunnel entrance 7°55′27″N 37°23′16″E  /  7.92417°N 37.38778°E  / 7.92417; 37.38778  ( Gilgel Gibe II Power Station headrace tunnel entrance ) on the Gilgel Gibe River in a run-of-river scheme. The tunnel entrance is sitting downstream of the Gilgel Gibe I Dam also on the Gilgel Gibe River with which it forms a hydroelectric cascade. The Gibe III Hydroelectric dam

1036-518: Is "the most destructive dam under construction in Africa." The project would condemn "half a million of the region's most vulnerable people to hunger and conflict." A group of international campaigners launched an online petition against Ethiopia's dam project over human rights concerns. However, Azeb Asnake, project manager of Gibe III for the government power provider, said that a mitigation measure has been prepared in case something happens. Apart from this, Asnake predicted no adverse consequence from

1110-626: Is a 243 metres (797 ft) high roller-compacted concrete dam with an associated hydropower plant on the Omo River in Ethiopia . It is the largest hydropower plant in Ethiopia with a power output of about 1870 Megawatt (MW), thus more than doubling total installed capacity in Ethiopia from its 2007 level of 814 MW. A controversy has ensued over its construction, with several NGOs forming a campaign to oppose it. According to Terri Hathaway, director of International Rivers ' Africa programme, Gibe III

1184-538: Is a saline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley , in northern Kenya , with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia . It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake . By volume it is the world's fourth-largest salt lake after the Caspian Sea , Issyk-Kul , and Lake Van (passing the shrinking South Aral Sea ), and among all lakes it ranks 24th. Lake Turkana

1258-440: Is also important geologically and archaeologically. Over 50,000 fossils have been identified from the lower valley, including 230 hominid fossils dating to the Pliocene and Pleistocene . Fossils belonging to the genera Australopithecus and Homo have been found at several archaeological sites, as well as tools made from quartzite , the oldest of which date back to about 2.4 million years ago. When they were discovered, it

1332-586: Is consequently a rapid stream in its upper reaches, being broken by the Kokobi and other falls, and navigable only for a short distance above where it empties into Lake Turkana, one of the lakes of the Gregory Rift . The Spectrum Guide to Ethiopia describes it as a popular site for white-water rafting in September and October, when the river is still high from the rainy season. Its most important tributary

1406-776: Is famous for its large number of early hominid fossils and archeological findings such as early stone tools, leading to its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980. The Omo River forms through the confluence of the Gibe River , by far the largest total tributary of the Omo River, and the Wabe River , the largest left-bank tributary of the Omo at 8°19′N 37°28′E  /  8.317°N 37.467°E  / 8.317; 37.467 . Given their sizes, lengths and courses one might consider both

1480-530: Is now threatened by the construction of the Gilgel Gibe III Dam in Ethiopia due to the damming of the Omo river which supplies most of the lake's water. Although the lake commonly has been—and to some degree still is—used for drinking water, its salinity (slightly brackish ) and very high levels of fluoride (much higher than in fluoridated water ) generally make it unsuitable, and it has also been

1554-431: Is one shallow groundwater system in the region hosting potable freshwater, though its residents experience intermittent water shortages leading to the deaths of their cattle. The people are predominantly nomadic pastoralists. 03°07′00″N 35°36′00″E  /  3.11667°N 35.60000°E  / 3.11667; 35.60000 Lake Turkana Lake Turkana ( / t ɜːr ˈ k ɑː n ə , - ˈ k æ n -/ )

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1628-406: Is sensitive to climatic and seasonal fluctuations. For purposes of comparison, the historic level of Lake Turkana declined from a high of 20m above today's level in the 1890s to the same level as today in the 1940s and 1950s. Then it increased again gradually by 7 metres to reach a peak around 1980, and subsequently decreased again.[31] The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) summary of

1702-537: Is the Gibe River ; smaller tributaries include the Wabi , Denchya , Gojeb , Mui and Usno rivers. The Omo-Bottego River formed the eastern boundaries for the former kingdoms of Janjero , and Garo . The Omo also flows past the Mago and Omo National Parks , which are known for their wildlife. Many animals live near and on the river, including hippopotamuses , crocodiles and puff adders . The entire Omo river basin

1776-460: Is the only one that has occurred within the past fifty years. The recent drop in the level of Lake Turkana, which is generally recognized to receive about ninety percent of its waters from the Omo River's inflow, has already caused a rise in salinity level. The increased size of the delta, now about 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq mi) in extent, has provided lands for recessional cultivation and pasture for cattle and other domestic livestock of

1850-480: Is vital to the indigenous groups that live along it. The flood brings fertile silt and inundates the banks with water, making river bank cultivation possible. The diverse peoples along the lower Omo—which include the Turkana , Dassanach , Hamer , Nyangatom , Karo, Kwegu , Mursi , Bodi , and Me'en —derive a great portion of their food supply from flood retreat cultivation. The large and destructive flood of 2006

1924-696: The Jade Sea from its turquoise colour seen approaching from a distance. The colour comes from algae that rise to the surface in calm weather. This is likely also a European name. J. W. Gregory reported in The Geographical Journal of 1894 that it was called "Basso Narok", meaning "Black Lake" in the Samburu language . Likewise, the nearby Ethiopian Lake Chew Bahir is called "Basso Naibor" in Samburu, meaning "White Lake". The Samburu are among

1998-677: The Turkana Basin . The highest is 100 m above the surface of the lake (only approximate, as the lake level fluctuates), which occurred about 9500 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene as part of the African humid period . It is generally theorised that Turkana was part of the upper Nile system at that time, connecting to Lake Baringo at the southern end and the White Nile in the north, and that volcanic land adjustments severed

2072-495: The little stint , the wood sandpiper , and the common sandpiper . The African skimmer ( Rhyncops flavirostris ) nests in the banks of Central Island. The white-breasted cormorant ( Phalacrocorax lucidus ) ranges over the lake, as do many other waterbirds. The greater flamingo wades in its shallows. Heuglin's bustard ( Neotis heuglinii ) is found in the east of the lake region. The lake formerly contained Africa's largest population of Nile crocodiles : 14,000, as estimated in

2146-574: The mantle , began separating from the rest of Africa, moving to the northeast. Currently, the graben is 320 km wide in the north of the lake, 170 km in the south. This rift is one of two, and is called the Great or Eastern Rift. There is another to the west, the Western Rift. Lake Turkana is a unique feature of the East African landscape. Besides being a permanent desert lake, it is

2220-489: The Frenchmen in the party accurately mapped for the first time many of the meanders of the Omo River delta. This rendition of the Omo River remained in use until the 1930s when Italian colonial cartographers made a new and more accurate rendition of the river and its delta. There are several power stations and dams in the Omo River basin which are named after the Gilgel Gibe River and Gibe River , which are tributaries of

2294-437: The Omo River. Despite the somewhat confusing naming they are native power stations and dams located on the Omo River. The Gilgel Gibe II Power Station 7°45′23″N 37°33′45″E  /  7.756492664604506°N 37.56255950100352°E  / 7.756492664604506; 37.56255950100352 is a hydroelectric power station on the Omo River with a power output of 420 Megawatt (MW). The power station receives water from

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2368-613: The Omo and the Gibe rivers to be one and the same river but with different names. Consequently, the whole river basin is sometimes called the Omo-Gibe River Basin . This river basin includes part of the western Oromia Region and the middle of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region . Its course is generally to the south, however with a major bend to the west at about 7° N 37° 30' E to about 36° E where it turns south until 5° 30' N where it makes

2442-413: The Omo delta on 12 September 1898, and found that an Ethiopian expedition, led by Ras Wolda Giyorgis , had previously planted Ethiopian flags on the northern shore of Lake Turkana on 7 April, as well as having plundered the locals and reduced them to poverty . Lieutenant Alexander Bulatovich led a second Ethiopian expedition which reached the lake August 21, 1899, and was equally destructive. Despite this,

2516-549: The Turkana land. The area is primarily clay-based and is more alkaline than seawater. After the independence of Kenya , the president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta , renamed it in 1975 after the Turkana , the predominant tribe there. The Turkana refer to the lake as Anam Ka'alakol , meaning "the sea of many fish". It is from the name Ka'alakol that Kalokol , a town on the western shore of Lake Turkana, east of Lodwar , derives its name. The previous indigenous Turkana name for Lake Turkana

2590-607: The area around Lake Turkana, which is evidence for numerous migrations of diverse people over thousands of years. The current language groups include at least three separate subgroups of the Nilotic ( Nilo-Saharan ) and Cushitic ( Afro-Asiatic ) language families, which have further subdivided into more than 12 languages surrounding the lake today. In the early Holocene (during the Holocene Climatic Optimum ), lake levels were high and fishing and foraging were

2664-600: The banks of the Turkwell River . The roads were inaccessible, so he brought donkeys. He eventually built a permanent trading centre in Lodwar, including a gas station. The district commissioner's office was built, followed by a small medical clinic and a government prison. Police headquarters were built in Lokitaung , as tribal disputes were common in the area. During the 1960s, missionaries built schools in and around

2738-403: The beginning date of bipedalism back half a million years. Richard Leakey has led numerous anthropological expeditions in the area which have led to many important discoveries of hominin remains. The two-million-year-old skull 1470 was found in 1972. It was originally thought to be Homo habilis , but the scientific name Homo rudolfensis , derived from the old name of this lake (Rudolf)

2812-520: The cichlids Haplochromis macconneli , H. rudolfianus , H. turkanae and Hemichromis exsul , the barb Enteromius turkanae , the catfish Chrysichthys turkana , the robber tetras Brycinus ferox and B. minutus , the Rudolf lates Lates longispinis , the lampeyes Lacustricola jeanneli and Micropanchax rudolfianus , and the cyprinid Neobola stellae . Non-endemics include species such as Nile tilapia , mango tilapia , bichirs ,

2886-632: The connection. Such a hypothesis explains the Nile species in the lake, such as the crocodiles and the Nile perch. High water levels also occurred approximately 9000, 6000 and 5000 years ago, each of which were followed by drops in lake level of more than 40m in less than 200 years. It is thought that changes in the position of the Congo Air Boundary affected the ability of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean to reach eastern Africa, which had

2960-411: The country, overgrazing and deforestation are blamed for this tragedy. "The rivers in Ethiopia have less capacity to hold as much water as they did years before, because they are being filled up with silt," World Food Programme spokeswoman Paulette Jones said. "It takes less intensity of rainfall ... to make a river in any particular part of the country overflow." The seasonal flooding of the Omo River

3034-483: The dominant tribes in the lake Turkana region when the explorers came." What the native form of this phrase was, what it might mean, and in which language is not clear. The major biomes are the lake itself, which is an aquatic biome, and the surrounding region, which is classified as desert and xeric shrubland . The Chalbi Desert is east of the lake. During moister times, a dry grassland appears, featuring Aristida adcensionis and A. mutabilis . During drier times,

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3108-436: The dynamic human evolution process and implies that they descended from more than one common ancestor, diverging into multiple lineages. The changing forest environment forced the early humans to adapt to a more open grassland that increased their exposure to threatening predators. Volcanic ash and drier climates were ideal for preserving these human fossils but it also caused the lake to shrink or disappear at times.  In

3182-521: The east and south shores of the lake, while dunes, spits and flats are on the west and north, at a lower elevation. On-shore and off-shore winds can be extremely strong, as the lake warms and cools more slowly than the land. Sudden, violent storms are frequent. Three rivers (the Omo , Turkwel and Kerio ) flow into the lake, but lacking outflow , its only water loss is by evaporation. Lake volume and dimensions are variable. For example, its level fell by 10 m (33 ft) between 1975 and 1993. Despite

3256-562: The eastern shore at the Nataruk Site, this region provides considerable insight to the way these early humans thrived and survived the inconsistent climate along the lake shore and beyond.   Homo erectus is the closest of Homo sapiens ' ancestors and contended to be the first hominin to cross the Levantine corridor out of Africa, into Europe and Asia 1.8 million years ago.   Many language groups are represented in

3330-538: The elephantfish Mormyrus kannume , African arowana , African knifefish , Distichodus niloticus , the Nile perch and numerous others. During the early Holocene , the water level of the lake was higher, and it overflowed into the Nile River, allowing fish and crocodiles access. Consequently, the non-endemic fishes in the lake are mainly riverine species of Nilotic origin. Some of the non-endemics do not breed in

3404-577: The firm that builds the dam this would reduce the water level in the lake by "less than 50 cm per year for three years" and that salinity "will not change in any way".[26] According to the International Lake Environment Committee, 90% of Lake Turkana's water is delivered by the Omo River on which the Dam would be built.[31] With no outlet, Lake Turkana loses 2.3 meters of water every year to evaporation, and its level

3478-695: The grass disappears. The shrublands contain dwarf shrubs, such as Duosperma eremophilum and Indigofera spinosa . Near the lake are doum palms . Both phytoplankton and zooplankton are found in the lake. Of the former, cyanobacteria are represented by Microcystis aeruginosa and microalgae by Botryococcus braunii . Also present are Anabaenopsis arnoldii , Planctonema lauterbornii , Oocystis gigas , Sphaerocystis schroeteri , and some others. The zooplankton includes copepods , cladocerans and protozoans . Compared to other large African lakes, Turkana has relatively few fish species. The lake holds about 50 fish species, including 12 endemics :

3552-441: The indigenous groups around the lake. Currently, the salinity of the water is about 2332 mg/L, and it is estimated that a 10-meter decrease in the water level of Lake Turkana could cause the salinity to rise to 3397 mg/L.[20] Raising salinity could also drastically reduce the number of fish in the lake, which the people around Lake Turkana depend on for sustenance and their livelihoods. According to critics, this "will condemn

3626-427: The lack of outflow, in ecology it is often regarded as a part of—or at least associated with—the Nile basin because of its prehistoric connection to this system and the similarities in their aquatic faunas . Due to temperature (its surface water typically is 27–31 °C [81–88 °F] and the mean air temperature of the region generally is similar or slightly higher), aridity and geographic inaccessibility,

3700-418: The lake retains its wild character. Nile crocodiles are found in great abundance on the flats. The rocky shores are home to scorpions and carpet vipers . The lake is rich in fish and fishing is very important to the local economy, but this is threatened by falling water levels and overfishing . Lake Turkana National Parks are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Sibiloi National Park lies on

3774-418: The lake to a not-so-slow death."[9] According to dam proponents, the impact on Lake Turkana will be limited to the temporary reduction in flows during the filling of the reservoir. Various sources state that the filling could take between one and three wet seasons.[9][26] The total storage volume of the reservoir of Gibe III dam will be between 11.75 and 14 billion cubic meter, depending on sources. According to

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3848-459: The lake's eastern shore, while Central Island National Park and South Island National Park lie in the lake. Both are known for their Nile crocodiles. An abundance of hominid fossils have been discovered in the area surrounding Lake Turkana. The area still sees few visitors, being two days' drive from Nairobi . The lake is also an imaginary boundary of the Rendille and Borana and Oromo to

3922-476: The lake, but migrate up the Omo River and other affluents to breed. The lake is heavily fished. The Lake Turkana region is home to hundreds of species of birds native to Kenya . The East African Rift System also serves as a flyway for migrating birds, bringing in hundreds more. The birds are essentially supported by plankton masses in the lake, which also feed the fish. Some birds more common to Turkana are

3996-491: The later Homo sapiens remains found on the riverbanks. Since then, the excavations have been carried out by a joint French and American team. In addition to early hominid fossils, a diversity of mammal and fish fossils have been found within the Omo Valley. The lower valley of the Omo is currently believed by some to have been a crossroads for thousands of years as various cultures and ethnic groups migrated around

4070-546: The lion and the cheetah . Elephants and the black rhinoceroses are no longer seen, although Teleki reported seeing (and shooting) many. Closer to the dust is the cushioned gerbil ( Gerbillus pulvinatus ). Lake Turkana is an East African Rift feature. A rift is a weak place in the Earth's crust due to the separation of two tectonic plates , often accompanied by a graben , or trough, in which lake water can collect. The rift began when East Africa, impelled by currents in

4144-477: The main referral hospital, Lodwar County Hospital (LDH). It is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lodwar . The town is also served by Lodwar Airport . Turkana Geothermal Power Station is under construction about 170 kilometers away from the town. Lodwar has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with very high temperatures and very little rainfall throughout

4218-446: The north. Jomo Kenyatta , Kenya's first president, was restricted to house arrest for two years in Lodwar, beginning in 1959. The town had developed a reputation as an isolated outpost removed from the rest of Kenya, but in recent years Lodwar has expanded and gained commercial and economic prominence. Lodwar is considered the capital of the region, housing local and governmental facilities, including Turkana's biggest health facility and

4292-417: The only lake that retains the waters originating from two separate catchment areas of the Nile . The Lake Turkana drainage basin draws its waters mainly from Kenya Highlands and Ethiopian Highlands . The basement rocks of the region have been dated by two analytical determinations to 522 and 510 million years ago (mya). No rift was in the offing at that time. A rift is signalled by volcanic activity through

4366-807: The outcrops forming the rocky mountains and badlands around the lake. In the Omo portion of the basin, of the Mursi Basalts, the Mursi Formation is on the west side of the Omo, the Nkalabong on the Omo, and the Usno and Shungura east of the Omo. Probably the best known of the formations are the Koobi Fora on the east side of Turkana and the Nachukui on the west. Short-term fluctuations in lake level combined with periodic volcanic ash spewings over

4440-478: The period when domesticated animals were first introduced to the region about 5000 years ago, while later, the dead were buried in small grave cairns. People who live in the region today commonly practice mixed subsistence, switching between hunting, fishing and animal herding based on what is feasible in a given year. However, the construction of infrastructure like Christian missionary stations, energy extraction (wind, oil) and NGO aid distribution points have made

4514-433: The primary subsistence economies. This was mostly supplanted by animal-based agriculture by 5000 years ago, when the lake level was in a period of rapid fluctuation. During the later Holocene , human responses to climatic changes included intensive fishing when lake level was high and a shift to cattle herding when the level dropped. Megalithic graves are found widely distributed on the lake shores and appear to correspond to

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4588-425: The project did not assess the impact of the dam on the water level and water quality of Lake Turkana.[32] The director of Kenya's Water Services Regulatory Board, John Nyaoro, argued that the dam would have no negative impact on Lake Turkana.[33] A Kenya Government report in 2021 estimated that the surface area of Lake Turkana had increased by 10% between 2010 and 2020. Omo River (Ethiopia) The river basin

4662-455: The project, adding that more than half of the people that live in the area are dependent on food aid and that the new station is necessary as currently the corporation is only supplying power for 25 per cent of the population. Heavy rains in 2006 caused the Omo to flood its lower course, drowning at least 456 people and stranding over 20,000 people over the space of five days ending 16 August. While seasonal heavy rains are normal for this part of

4736-494: The region have resulted in a fortuitous layering of the ground cover over the basal rocks. These horizons can be dated more precisely by chemical analysis of the tuff . As this region is believed to have been an evolutionary nest of hominins , the dates are important for generating a diachronic array of fossils, both hominoid and nonhominoid—that is, both ape (includes hominins) and non-ape . Many thousands have been excavated. Terraces representing ancient shores are visible in

4810-416: The region more connected to and dependent on outside resources for subsistence. Traditional modes of subsistence like pastoralism and fishing are now supplemented by the cash-based economy. The Lake Turkana Wind Power consortium (LTWP) plans to provide 310 MW of power to Kenya's national electricity grid by tapping the unique wind conditions around the lake. The plan calls for 365 wind turbines , each with

4884-426: The region's ethnic groups into cross-border violent conflict reaching well into South Sudan, as starvation confronts all of them. The report offers a devastating look at a deeply flawed development process fuelled by the special interests of global finance and African governments. In the process, it identifies major overlooked or otherwise minimised risks, not the least of which is a U.S. Geological Survey estimation of

4958-553: The region. To this day, the people of the Lower Valley of the Omo, including the Mursi , Suri , Nyangatom , Dizi and Me'en , are studied for their diversity . Italian explorer Vittorio Bottego first reached the Omo river on 29 June 1896 during his second African expedition (1895–97), dying during this expedition on 17 March 1897. The Omo river was renamed Omo-Bottego in his honour. Herbert Henry Austin and his men reached

5032-460: The shore of an ancient and larger Lake Turkana, and where numerous human skeletons showing major traumatic injuries to the head, neck, ribs, knees and hands are argued to be evidence of inter-group conflict between nomadic hunter-gatherers 10,000 years ago. With over 230 individuals found at the Koobi Fora site along the western shore, and scattered Homo sapiens skeletons with bone marks along

5106-509: The town. Shah Mohamed opened several stores in the remote towns of this Turkana county because he was the only contractor and supplier to government departments, carried mail to the area, and supplied and transported goods for the Norwegian and Italian fish-canning projects on Lake Turkana (both of which eventually failed). During the colonial period, Lodwar functioned as a transit point for British officials moving Kenyan political prisoners to

5180-714: The weakened crust. The oldest volcanic activity of the region occurred in the Nabwal Hills northeast of Turkana and is dated to 34.8 mya in the late Eocene . The visible tectonic features of the region result from extensive extrusions of basalt over the Turkana-Omo basin in the window 4.18–3.99 mya. These are called the Gombe Group Basalts. They are subdivided into the Mursi Basalts and the Gombi Basalts. The two latter basalts are identified as

5254-629: The year. The average annual rainfall is about 210 mm (8.27 in). Lodwar has a very sunny climate year-round, with close to 3,600 hours of sunshine per year. Only about 35 percent of Lower citizens in Lodwar have access to electricity in their homes. The Lodwar Alluvial Aquifer comprises two unique systems east and west of the Lodwar municipality, on either side of the Turkwel River. Almost 1.3 billion cubic meters can be stored here with about 10% that can be utilized without causing unacceptable environmental, economic and social challenges. There

5328-456: Was Anam a Cheper . Natives who live around Lake Turkana include the Turkana , Rendille , Gabbra , Daasanach , Hamar Koke, Karo, Nyagatom, Mursi , Surma , and Molo peoples. For the location of many of these peoples, refer to the dialect map in the article. The lake was originally named Lake Rudolf (in honour of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria ) by Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék and his second-in-command Lieutenant Ludwig Ritter Von Höhnel ,

5402-470: Was proposed in 1986 by V. P. Alexeev. In 1984, the Turkana Boy , a nearly complete skeleton of a Homo ergaster juvenile, was discovered by Kamoya Kimeu . More recently, Meave Leakey discovered a 3.5 million-year-old skull there, designated Kenyanthropus platyops ("the flat-faced man of Kenya"). Marta Mirazón Lahr discovered early evidence of human warfare at the site of Nataruk , located near

5476-525: Was thought that the tools might have been part of a so-called pre-Oldowan industry, even more primitive than what was found in the Olduvai Gorge . Later research has shown that the crude looks of the tools were in fact caused by very poor raw materials, and that the techniques used and the shapes permit their inclusion in the Oldowan . The first archaeological discoveries in the area were in 1901, by

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