Lake Chad: Africa's Vanishing Inland Sea

Lake Chad is a shallow, endorheic lake in the Chad Basin (Sahel), shared by Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria.

Key Facts

• Area: Highly variable—25,000 km² (wet) → <2,000 km² (dry); 90% loss since 1960s.
• Depth: Avg 1.5 m (5 ft); max ~11 m.
• Inflows: Chari River (90%), Logone, Komadugu Yobe.
• Outflow: None (endorheic) – loses water to evaporation & seepage.

Ecological & Human Importance

• 170+ fish species; critical for 30M+ people (fishing, farming, herding, trade).
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; Ramsar Wetland.

Crisis Drivers

• Climate change (↑temp, ↓rain, ↑evaporation)
• Unsustainable irrigation diversions
• Population growth & conflict (Boko Haram)
• Invasive species (Typha, water hyacinth)

Hope

Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) + Inter-Basin Water Transfer (Congo → Chari) proposal ($14B) + community-based restoration. Survival requires transboundary cooperation.