Lake Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border, in the eastern branch of the East African Rift. The lake is fed by the Southern Ewaso Ng’iro River and also by mineral-rich hot springs. It is quite shallow, less than three meters (10 feet) deep, and varies in width depending on its water level, which changes due to high levels of evaporation, leaving concentrations of salt and other minerals, notably sodium carbonate (natron). The surrounding country is dry and receives irregular seasonal rainfall. The lake falls within the Lake Natron Basin Wetlands of International Importance Ramsar Site. Temperatures in the lake can reach 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit), and depending on rainfall, the alkalinity can reach a pH of 9 to 10.5 (almost as alkaline as ammonia).
The main distinguishing feature of the lake – it’s certainly his most unusual bright red color of the water. But the way it looks is not always the case.
The area around the salt lake is not inhabited but there is some herding and some seasonal cultivation. Threats to the salinity balance from increased siltation influxes will come from more projected logging in Natron watersheds and a planned hydroelectric power plant on the Ewaso Ng’iro across the border in Kenya. Although development plans include construction of a dike at the north end of the lake to contain the fresh water, the threat of dilution to this breeding ground may still be serious. There is no formal protection.
A new threat to Lake Natron is the proposed development of a soda ash plant on its shores. The plant would pump water from the lake and extract the sodium carbonate to convert to washing powder for export. Accompanying the plant would be housing for over 1000 workers, and a coal-fired power station to provide energy for the plant complex. In addition, there is a possibility the developers may introduce a hybrid brine shrimp to increase the efficiency of extraction.
As the water evaporates during the dry season, the salinity of the lake increased to a level where micro-organisms living in it – fans of salt – are beginning to proliferate wildly.
Along the shores of Lake Natron early hominids lived, who are considered the ancestors of modern man. Now the lake was inhabited by tribes Salei, of a kind Masai. Maasai in Tanzania about 20,000. Until habitat Salei get complicated. They are engaged in, as well as all who live here Maasai pastoralists. To survive, they sell milk, blood and meat animals. This nation is moved along the shores of Lake Natron in search of better pasture.
Salei, divided into groups, each of which has both men and women. Masai, who live near Lake Natron, thanks to his ability to fight for centuries controlled the greater part of East Africa. As the legend goes, these people Lake Natron got their knowledge from missing a legion of Roman soldiers Africa. To date, the Masai are not at war, but the warrior caste is still preserved. Masai with fifteen years of age, live in the field, where learning to hunt and own a bow and spear. It’s kind of an army that will protect Salei from attacking aliens.
Served their time in the army, the soldiers can settle in your own home and get married. This usually occurs between the ages of 20-25 years after the memorial service for the life of soldiers, which has existed for eight centuries.
According to Chris Magin, the RSPB’s international officer for Africa, “The chance of the lesser flamingoes continuing to breed in the face of such mayhem are next to zero. This development will leave lesser flamingoes in East Africa facing extinction”. Currently a group of more than fifty East African conservation and environmental institutions are running a world-wide campaign to stop the planned construction of the soda ash factory by Tata Chemicals Ltd of Mumbai, India and National Development Corporation of Tanzania. The group working under the umbrella name Lake Natron Consultative Group is being co-ordinated by Ken Mwathe, Conservation Programme Manager at BirdLife International’s Africa Secretariat.
As per communication as on June 2008 Tata Chemicals shall not proceed with the Natron Project and further re-examination of this project will be subject to the Ramsar Wetlands plan, which is currently under preparation.
Because of its unique biodiversity, Tanzania named the Lake Natron Basin to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on July 4, 2001. The lake is also the World Wildlife Fund East African halophytics ecoregion.