Imo State Governor Uzodinma Receives Oguta Lake Investigative Survey Report

The pace at which our commitment to the industrialization of our dear Imo State is yielding projected results is quite impressive as I received the Hydrographic and Comprehensive Bathymetric / Investigative Survey Report of the Charting of the Oguta Lake to the Atlantic Ocean.

I commended the Chief of Naval Staff; Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Hydrographer of Nigerian Navy; Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode, who presented the report and indeed, the Nigerian Navy for this painstaking assignment and their dedication to the success of the project.

As work continues at the Oguta Lake, the State Government will further study the report together with the
@NigerianNavy
and the consortium partners for professional decisions in the project.

– Hope Uzodimma

Oguta Lake is a lean ‘finger lake’ formed by the damming of the lower Njaba River with alluvium. It is the largest natural lake in Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria; within the equatorial rainforest region of Niger Delta.

Oguta Lake’s catchment area comprises the drainage area of the Njaba River and a part of the River Niger floodplain in the region south of Onitsha.

Location

The lake is situated in Oguta about 50 kilometres (30 mi) from the junction of the Ndoni and Orashi River.

It is about eight kilometres (5 mi) long from east to west and 2.5 kilometres (1+1⁄2 mi)wide.

The stream from Njaba River is the major inflow to Oguta Lake. The other three tributaries are Awbana, Utu and Orashi.

The Orashi River flows past Oguta Lake in its southwestern portion.

Urashi River takes off as a stream, from the rocks, at the base of a waterfall, 183 m above mean sea level, in the Urashi enclave of Ezeama in Dikenafai, Imo State.

Urashi region is in the rainforest zone, southeastern Nigeria.[1] Crop cultivation, Oil Palm and fishing are the major occupation of the people and source of livelihood.

The zone may be termed an ‘oil palm bush.’ The forest zone is characterized by abundance of plant species, sometimes exceeding 150 different species per hectare.

From its source down to the Atlantic, the river supports several fishermen and provides means of liveli-hood for their families.

Urashi Region, which includes Njaba River basin, holds over 35% of the oil wells in the Niger Delta states of Imo and Rivers.