Lake Ol’ Bolossat, the only freshwater lake in Central Kenya and a nationally recognized Key Biodiversity Area, is rapidly drying up, triggering an ecological and humanitarian crisis in the Nyandarua basin. Satellite imagery and ground surveys confirm that the lake’s surface area has shrunk by over 60% in the last five years, leaving behind cracked, barren earth and threatening the survival of the communities and wildlife that depend on it. Experts attribute the catastrophe to a combination of prolonged drought, exacerbated by climate change, and unsustainable human activities, including excessive water abstraction for large-scale irrigation upstream and the destruction of the surrounding catchment area through deforestation and encroachment for agriculture.
The impact of the lake’s disappearance is both profound and multi-faceted. The lake is a critical refuge for over 300 bird species, including the endangered Grey Crowned Crane, and a vital water source for hippos, antelopes, and other wildlife, which are now facing a severe survival threat. For the local community, the receding waters have decimated fishing livelihoods, while farmers face failing crops as the micro-climate once moderated by the lake becomes more erratic and water for irrigation vanishes. The escalating conflict between humans and wildlife, as animals venture closer to farms and homes in search of water, has created a tense and dangerous environment, further compounding the hardship for residents who feel abandoned in the face of the unfolding disaster.
Conservationists and local leaders are issuing desperate calls for a government-led emergency intervention to save what remains of the ecosystem. Proposed measures include an immediate moratorium on water abstraction from the lake’s feeder rivers, a major reforestation campaign in the Aberdare catchment to improve water retention, and the urgent development of alternative water sources for both irrigation and domestic use. The fate of Lake Ol’ Bolossat serves as a stark national warning of the consequences of mismanaging fragile ecosystems. Its potential complete disappearance would represent an irreversible loss of biodiversity, cultural heritage, and economic stability, highlighting the urgent need for integrated water resource management that balances human needs with the preservation of Kenya’s critical environmental assets.