# Lake Chew Bahir

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Lake in southern Ethiopia

Lake Chew Bahir The remnants of Lake Chew Bahir - as seen from space. Lake Chew Bahir Coordinates 4°43′N 36°57′E / 4.717°N 36.950°E / 4.717; 36.950 Primary outflows none Basin countries Ethiopia, Kenya Max. length 40 mi (64 km) Max. width 15 mi (24 km) Surface elevation 1,880 ft (570 m)

**Lake Chew Bahir** ([Amharic](/source/Amharic_language): ጨው ባሕር *č̣ew bāhir*, "salty lake") or **Lake Istifanos**, also called **Stefanie**, **Basso Naebor** and **Chuwaha**,[1] is a [lake](/source/Lake) in southern [Ethiopia](/source/Ethiopia), located on the southwestern end of the [South Ethiopia Regional State](/source/South_Ethiopia_Regional_State), near the border with [Oromia Region](/source/Oromia_Region).

## Geography

When the Lake Chew Bahir is filled, it stretches into northern [Kenya](/source/Kenya). Lying at the center of the [Stephanie Wildlife Sanctuary](/source/Stephanie_Wildlife_Sanctuary), the lake measures some 40 by 15 miles (64 by 24 km).

This lake is the southernmost and lowest (1,880 ft; 570 m) of a series of [lakes](/source/Rift_Valley_lakes) which lie in the north-easterly continuation of the [Great Rift Valley](/source/Great_Rift_Valley%2C_Kenya);[1] its [watershed](/source/Drainage_basin) is separated from the watershed of [Lake Turkana](/source/Lake_Turkana) by the [Humu Range](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Humu_Range&action=edit&redlink=1) and the hills south of it. The [Kumbi Range](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kumbi_Range&action=edit&redlink=1) rises on its eastern side. Chew Bahir is fed from the north by the [Weito River](/source/Weito_River), and its tributary the [Galana Sagan](/source/Galana_Sagan_River). The Galana Sagan receives the overflow of [Lake Chamo](/source/Lake_Chamo) in some years, but no permanent connection exists.

## History

Count [Sámuel Teleki](/source/S%C3%A1muel_Teleki_(explorer)) was the first European to visit the lake in 1888,[2] and named it for [Princess Stéphanie of Belgium](/source/Princess_St%C3%A9phanie_of_Belgium), the wife of [Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria](/source/Crown_Prince_Rudolf_of_Austria). Following Teleki's visit, Lake Chew Bahir and the neighboring lakes were explored by [Arthur Donaldson Smith](/source/Arthur_Donaldson_Smith), [Vittorio Bottego](/source/Vittorio_Bottego), M. S. Welby, [Oscar Neumann](/source/Oscar_Neumann) and others. J. J. Harrison in 1899 found the lake quite dried up, and two years later [Count Wickenburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Count_Wickenburg&action=edit&redlink=1) found water only in the northern part.[1] In 1960 the lake covered about 2,000 km2, but shrank to a swamp over the rest of the 20th century.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EB1911_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EB1911_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EB1911_1-2) One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm), ed. (1911). "[Stefanie](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Stefanie)". *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 869.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Höhnel, Ludwig von (1894). [*Discovery of Lakes Rudolf and Stefanie; a narrative of Count Samuel Teleki's exploring & hunting expedition in eastern equatorial Africa in 1887 & 1888*](https://archive.org/stream/discoveryoflakes02hhne#page/n7/mode/2up).

v t e Lakes of Kenya Baringo Bogoria Chew Bahir Chala Elmenteita Jipe Kamnarok Kanyaboli Kenyatta Kesses Dam Logipi Magadi Naivasha Nakuru Sare Solai Turkana Victoria

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lake Chew Bahir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chew_Bahir) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chew_Bahir?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.