Ewaso Ng'iro
Encyclopedia
Ewaso Ng'iro is a river in Kenya
which rises on the west side of Mount Kenya
and flows north then east and finally south-east, passing through Somalia
where it joins the Jubba River
.
(The name is used for at least one other smaller river rising in the Mau Escarpment
to the south-west and flowing south to Lake Natron
in Tanzania
).
The upper basin of the Ewaso Ng'iro River is 15200 square kilometres (5,868.8 sq mi). The river has a continuous water supply due to the glacier
s on Mount Kenya
. It is used for canoeing
and has up to grade V
rapid
s.
The river's name is derived from the local community's language. It means the river of brown or muddy water. It is also called by some the "Ewaso Nyiro."
In the arid North of Kenya, water means life. The waters of this great river draw wildlife in great numbers to its banks, creating an oasis of green. Samburu
, Shaba
and Buffalo Springs National Reserve
s in Northern Kenya teem with wildlife in an otherwise arid land, because of the water of the river.
Below Sericho, the river expands into the Lorian Swamp
, a large area of wetlands.
Ewaso Narok river is one of its tributaries. Thomson's Falls
near Nyahururu
town are located along Ewaso Narok.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
which rises on the west side of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
and flows north then east and finally south-east, passing through Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
where it joins the Jubba River
Jubba River
The Jubba River is a river in southern Somalia. It begins at the border with Ethiopia, where the Dawa and Ganale Dorya rivers meet, and flows directly south to the Indian Ocean, where it empties at the Goobweyn juncture.-History:...
.
(The name is used for at least one other smaller river rising in the Mau Escarpment
Mau Escarpment
The Mau Escarpment is a steep natural cliff approximately 3,000 m high, running along the western edge of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya.-External links:...
to the south-west and flowing south to Lake Natron
Lake Natron
Lake Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border, in the eastern branch of Africa's Great Rift Valley. The lake is fed by the Ewaso Ng'iro River but also by mineral-rich hot springs and is quite shallow, less than three meters deep, and varies in width depending...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
).
The upper basin of the Ewaso Ng'iro River is 15200 square kilometres (5,868.8 sq mi). The river has a continuous water supply due to the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s on Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
. It is used for canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and has up to grade V
International Scale of River Difficulty
The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river, or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required associated with the section of river...
rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s.
The river's name is derived from the local community's language. It means the river of brown or muddy water. It is also called by some the "Ewaso Nyiro."
In the arid North of Kenya, water means life. The waters of this great river draw wildlife in great numbers to its banks, creating an oasis of green. Samburu
Samburu National Reserve
The Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river in Kenya; on the other side of the river is the Buffalo Springs National Reserve in Northern Kenya. It is 165 km² in size and 350 kilometers from Nairobi and ranges in altitude from 800 to 1230m above sea level...
, Shaba
Shaba National Reserve
Shaba National Reserve is a protected area in northern Kenya to the east of the Samburu and Buffalo Springs national reserves. Together, the three reserves form a large protected area....
and Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Buffalo Springs National Reserve is a protected area in the Isiolo District of Eastern Province, in northern Kenya.-Organization:The reserve was established in 1948 as part of the Samburu - Isiolo Game Reserve, and the present boundaries were established in 1985...
s in Northern Kenya teem with wildlife in an otherwise arid land, because of the water of the river.
Below Sericho, the river expands into the Lorian Swamp
Lorian Swamp
The Lorian Swamp is an area of wetlands on the Ewaso Ngiro river in Kenya.The swampy zone is long and has a greatest width of , covering an area of .Apart from the Ewaso Ngiro river, the swamp is also fed by wadis from the southwest and the northeast....
, a large area of wetlands.
Ewaso Narok river is one of its tributaries. Thomson's Falls
Thomson's Falls
Thomson's Falls is a 74 m scenic waterfall on the Ewaso Narok river, which drains from the Aberdare Mountain Range. It is situated near the town Nyahururu in central Kenya, at 2,360 m elevation. 1883 Joseph Thomson was the first European to reach Thomson Falls, and named them for his father...
near Nyahururu
Nyahururu
Nyahururu is a town in Kenya, lying east of Nakuru. It is part of Laikipia District in Rift Valley Province. Despite this, Nyahururu formerly functioned as the administrative capital of Nyandarua District, one of seven districts that constitute Central Province in Kenya, until the headquarters...
town are located along Ewaso Narok.