{{short description|Lake in southern Ethiopia}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Lake Chew Bahir | image = Lake Chew Bahir satellite image.png | caption = The remnants of Lake Chew Bahir - as seen from space. | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = | coords = {{coord|4|43|N|36|57|E|type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = | inflow = | outflow = ''none'' | catchment = | basin_countries = Ethiopia, Kenya | length = {{convert|40|mi|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|15|mi|abbr=on}} | area = | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{convert|1880|ft|abbr=on}} | islands = | cities = <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = Ethiopia | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Chew Bahir in Ethiopia. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = }}
'''Lake Chew Bahir''' ([[Amharic language|Amharic]]: ጨው ባሕር ''č̣ew bāhir'', "salty lake") or '''Lake Istifanos''', also called '''Stefanie''', '''Basso Naebor''' and '''Chuwaha''',<ref name=EB1911/> is a [[lake]] in southern [[Ethiopia]], located on the southwestern end of the [[South Ethiopia Regional State]], near the border with [[Oromia Region]].
==Geography== When the Lake Chew Bahir is filled, it stretches into northern [[Kenya]]. Lying at the center of the [[Stephanie Wildlife Sanctuary]], the lake measures some {{convert|40|by|15|mi|km}}.
This lake is the southernmost and lowest ({{convert|1,880|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}) of a series of [[Rift Valley lakes|lakes]] which lie in the north-easterly continuation of the [[Great Rift Valley, Kenya|Great Rift Valley]];<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Stefanie |volume=25 |page=869 |inline=1}}</ref> its [[drainage basin|watershed]] is separated from the watershed of [[Lake Turkana]] by the [[Humu Range]] and the hills south of it. The [[Kumbi Range]] rises on its eastern side. Chew Bahir is fed from the north by the [[Weito River]], and its tributary the [[Galana Sagan River|Galana Sagan]]. The Galana Sagan receives the overflow of [[Lake Chamo]] in some years, but no permanent connection exists.
==History== Count [[Sámuel Teleki (explorer)|Sámuel Teleki]] was the first European to visit the lake in 1888,<ref>{{cite book |title=Discovery of Lakes Rudolf and Stefanie; a narrative of Count Samuel Teleki's exploring & hunting expedition in eastern equatorial Africa in 1887 & 1888 |url=https://archive.org/stream/discoveryoflakes02hhne#page/n7/mode/2up |last=Höhnel |first=Ludwig von |year=1894}}</ref> and named it for [[Princess Stéphanie of Belgium]], the wife of [[Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria]]. Following Teleki's visit, Lake Chew Bahir and the neighboring lakes were explored by [[Arthur Donaldson Smith]], [[Vittorio Bottego]], M. S. Welby, [[Oscar Neumann]] and others. J. J. Harrison in 1899 found the lake quite dried up, and two years later [[Count Wickenburg]] found water only in the northern part.<ref name=EB1911/> In 1960 the lake covered about 2,000 km<sup>2</sup>, but shrank to a swamp over the rest of the 20th century.
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Lakes of Kenya}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chew Bahir}} [[Category:Lakes of Ethiopia]] [[Category:Lakes of Kenya]] [[Category:Saline lakes of the Great Rift Valley]] [[Category:Ethiopia–Kenya border]] [[Category:International lakes of Africa]] [[Category:Endorheic lakes of Africa|Chew]] [[Category:Important Bird Areas of Ethiopia]]