Lake Katwe is an ancient salt water lake in the South Western part of Uganda. It is found in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western rift valley hence the abundance of crater lakes in the area. There are about ten crater lakes in the park. Some of which can be spotted along the 27kilometre crater drive with an irresistible scenery for hiking and photography. Crater lakes are lakes in a crater that were formed from a collapse during a volcanic eruption. These lakes are mainly in the rift valley region. ormed when the tectonic plates beneath the earth’s surface move away from one another in opposite directions. Lake Katwe Salt Mining Village is one of the many lakes in the park- served by streams without any outlet making it very salty with intense evaporation during the dry season and with concentration of minerals in the hyper saline region.
HOW DO CRATER LAKES COME ABOUT?
About 8000-10000 years ago volcanic activity craters emitted lava with ash and rocks spreading them far across the surrounding areas thus leaving a large basin as a depression created by the collapse of a volcano during an eruption. Over time, these basins are covered with water creating the scenic crater lakes we now see. The crater lakes are also called extinct volcanoes. Although some still release sulphurous gas smells meaning there is a possibility of an eruption any time. There are three major crater lakes in Uganda namely, Lake Katwe Salt Mining Village in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Bunyaruguru craters on the magnificent Kichwamba escarpment and Nandali-Kasende in Kibale National Park.
Katwe salt lake
This lake is located in the Mweya Peninsular in the South Western part of Uganda with-in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Where from there are about ten other exalted craters like lake Nyamunuka that can be seen during the 27kilometer crater drive alongside Lake Katwe.
Hiking is another absorbing activity that can be carried out around these craters. With Nyamunuka offering the beautiful view of the flamingoes and warthogs- among other animals.
Lake Katwe has two tributaries that bring in water, however, it has no outlets making the lake very salty. In the dry season, evaporation occurs on the lake making it concentrated and too salty and it is the best time to carry out salt mining.
Salt mining in Lake Katwe was a lucrative activity to the people around, years ago. This is before salt was discovered in other countries. It would be exported to Congo and within East Africa. Salt at lake Katwe is mined during the dry season when evaporation on the water occurs making it to concentrate to make a hypersaline solution that forms salt.
The women then collect the crusted salt formed on the surface; this salt is filtered to make table salt. Men shovel the salt blocks from the bottom of the lake at its shallow end.
The mines are separated with wooden walk ways. The highly crystallized salt is used for human consumption and the dirty salt is sold as salt licks to herdsmen. It can also be used to tenderize meat and beans locally, for faster cooking.
The salty water is toxic and very dangerous to the reproductive health of the workers. o before the mining process, women put flour whereas men wear condoms to prevent the toxic water from entering them otherwise, they become barren and impotent respectively. You would think that these consequences would stop the miners from carrying out the activity, yet, they still go ahead and mine, because that is their only source of income.
For more information about salt mining, a visit to Katwe salt lake is recommended. It takes half a day in the park. You will be accorded a guide who will take you around the salt lake areas. They will share known information about it to you. You will also interact with the locals as they carry out other activities. Activities like craft making, beautiful pieces that you should buy from them to support them as salt mining, which is the main economic activity, does not help them much. Evidence of the standards of living of the local folklore is visible in the structures as houses that they live in and the area at large.
