Lake Gossi
Lake Gossi is located in Mali
Lake Gossi
Lake Gossi
Coordinates15°50′45″N 1°18′14″W / 15.845765°N 1.30394°W / 15.845765; -1.30394
TypeNatural freshwater lake[1]
Basin countriesMali
Max. length16.67 km (10.36 mi)
Max. width1.33 km (0.83 mi)[2]
Surface elevation279 m (915 ft)
Islandsnumerous islands and islets, depending on how much water is in the lake
Settlementstown of Gossi

Lake Gossi, or Mare de Grossi, is a body of water near Gossi in the Cercle of Gourma-Rharous of the Tombouctou Region of Mali. The lake is near to the town of Gossi.

In 1990, with lower rainfall than usual, there was competition over use of the land between cattle grazers and harvesting of fonio grains. Cattle spent three quarters of their grazing time around the shores of the lake, or in depressions.[3] In the dry season, the Tamasheq people of the region rely on the lake as an important source of water, their only alternative being pits and wells to reach groundwater that may be 50 metres (160 ft) underground.[4] The lake is home to a number of waterbird species.[5] As of 2009, the lake was sometimes visited by lone male elephants in January or February.[6]

At the start of 1846 the forces of the Tuareg people of the Timbuktu area were surprised and defeated by a force of Fula lancers from the Massina Empire under Balobbo. As a result, for a period Timbuktu again came under the authority of Amadu II of Masina.[7]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Satellite imagery available in 2019 shows the water of this lake as very muddy.
  2. ↑ Satellite imagery available in 2019 shows laked had this length and width. The size of the lake varies considerably.
  3. ↑ Miaga 1991, p. 9.
  4. ↑ Hill 2012, p. 18.
  5. ↑ Velton 2004, p. 206.
  6. ↑ Ham 2009, p. 529.
  7. ↑ Ajayi 1989, p. 609.

Sources

  • Ajayi, Jacob F. Ade (1989). Africa in the Nineteenth Century Until the 1880s. University of California Press. p. 609. ISBN 978-0-520-03917-9. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  • Ham, Anthony (2009-10-01). West Africa 7. Lonely Planet. p. 529. ISBN 978-1-74104-821-6. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  • Hill, Allan G. (2012-07-26). Population, Health and Nutrition in the Sahel: Issues in the Welfare of Selected West African Communities. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-88284-5. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  • Miaga, A. (1991). "The Harvesting of Wildgrowing Grain Crops in the Gourma Region of Mali-june 1991". Issues Paper. IIED. ISSN 1357-9312. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  • Velton, Ross (2004-12-01). Mali. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-84162-077-0. Retrieved 2013-03-10.


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