Oguta Lake

Oguta lake is a natural finger lake of around eighteen square kilometres in Imo State, fed by and connected to the Urashi and Njaba rivers, and its best-known feature is the confluence: the lake water and the river water differ in colour and sediment enough that the meeting line is visible on the surface and does not mix immediately, which local tradition explains as two deities, Ogbuide of the lake and Urashi of the river, who live apart. Boats run out to the line. A lakeside resort with a golf course was built in the 1970s and has been through decline and partial revival. The lake supports fishing and is important for waterbirds.

What you actually see

• The confluence line - the visible boundary between lake and river water.
• The lake - the open water and its wooded shores.
• Boat trips - the runs out from the resort jetty.
• Fishing - the canoes and nets worked on the lake.

When to go

November to March in the dry season for the clearest contrast at the confluence and the best boating conditions. The rains raise the water and blur the line. Mornings are calmest.

Honest expectations

The resort has declined and facilities vary. Boat hire is negotiated informally at the shore. The confluence line is clearer in some seasons than others. Water hyacinth has been a problem on parts of the lake.

Nearby

Owerri lies east; the Niger delta is south.