Lake Naivasha. 10/04/95; Rift Valley Province; 30,000 ha; 00°46'S 036°22'E. Located in a high altitude trough of the Rift Valley, one of the few freshwater lakes in eastern Africa. The site comprises a crater lake, river delta, and a separate lake dominated by blue-green algae and soda-tolerant plants. It supports a complex vegetation of terrestrial (Acacia xanthophloea), riparian and littoral plants such as papyrus and Potamogeton, providing foraging and breeding ground for many resident and migrant bird species, including more than 350 species of waterbirds, with 1% of the world population of Fulica cristata. Hundreds of hippopotamus and several species of large mammals including buffalo and waterbuck live in the riparian area. People depend on the lake for their water supply, and human activities include wildlife and livestock ranching, agriculture, tourism, pastoralism and fishing - the most significant activity, however, is intensive greenhouse floriculture and horticulture: Kenya is the leading exporter of cut flowers and Naivasha supplies about 75% of these. Although the sector employs thousands of Kenyans and significantly contributes to the GDP, it also poses a threat due to pesticide and fertilizer use, removal of fringing swamps, and over-abstraction of water. The Lake Naivasha Riparian Association (LNRA), one of the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award winners in 1999, has been at the forefront in finding solutions to land use conflicts in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other relevant government departments. Ramsar site no. 724. Most recent RIS information: 2005.