Lake Levels and Quaternary Climates in the Eastern Rift Valley of Kenya

Abstract

FOR more than 20 yr, the accepted sequence of pluvial and interpluvial climatic fluctuations during the late Pleistocene and Holocene in East Africa has been based on the evidence of high level shorelines and lake sediments in the Nakuru–Elmenteita basin in the Eastern Rift Valley, Kenya. The nomenclature was formally established in 19471 and 19482 but it had been published several years earlier. The sequence of lake level variations was originally studied by Leakey3,4. The pluvial (high lake level) phases shown in Table 1 were suggested, separated by dry inter-pluvials during which the lakes were lower. It was believed that these phases could be recognized in evidence from lake shorelines, sediment sections and river terraces in other parts of Africa.