| Lake Mai-Ndombe | |
|---|---|
| seen from space (false color) | |
| Location | Bandundu Province |
| Primary outflows | Fimi River |
| Basin countries | Democratic Republic of Congo |
| Surface area | 890 sq mi (2,300 km²) |
| Average depth | 5 m |
| Max. depth | 10 m |
Lake Mai-Ndombe (French: Lac Mai-Ndombe) is a large freshwater lake in Bandundu Province in western Democratic Republic of Congo, at . It drains to the south through the Fimi River into the Kwah and Congo Rivers. Known until 1972 as Lake Leopold (after king Leopold II of Belgium); Mai-Ndombe means “black water” in Lingala. The lake is of irregular shape and ranges in depth from only 5 meters (mean) to 10 meters (maximum). Covering approximately 890 square miles (2,300 square km), it is known to double or triple in size during the rainy season. Its waters are oxygenated throughout their depth and the pH ranges from 4.2 to 5.5. Low, forested shores surround it with dense, humid equatorial rainforest prevailing to the north and a mosaic of forest and savanna to the south.
On 28 November 2009, two logging barges sank causing the loss of 73 lives. The boat was not authorised to carry passengers, but was believed to have some 270 people on board at the time.[1]
The fish of Lake Mai-Ndombe, although presumed to be similar to those of Lake Tumba, have been poorly documented. Since initial surveys from 1909-1916 by George Albert Boulenger, the lake has been a site for the continual discovery of new species. In 1984 a new species of cichlid, Nanochromis transvestitus, named for the fact that it exhibits reverse sexual dichromatism, was discovered in the lake.[2] In 2006 a new species of cichlid, Nanochromis wickleri, was discovered,[3] and in 2008, yet another new species, Chrysichthys praecox, was documented.[4]