The Formation Of Great Rift Valley In Kenya
The Great Rift Valley is among the most spectacular geological features on earth, and it is located in the Middle East with Lebanon and Mozambique in the southern part of Africa, and has a total length of 6,000 kilometers. In Kenya, it cuts through the middle of the land giving it a dramatic scenery of escarpments, Volcano Mountains, lakes and fertile plains. The Great Rift Valley is also important with respect to scientific, cultural, and ecological values in addition to its beautiful scenery. Knowledge of its formation concerns the sheer geological forces that have created not only Kenya but the whole of East Africa.
What is the Great Rift Valley?
The Great Rift Valley belongs to a huge tectonic system, the East African Rift. It is a system of prominent valleys and fault lines due to the slow movement of the African tectonic plate into two sub-plates the Nubian Plate (to the west) and the Somali Plate (to the east).
Kenya is located right in the center of this rift system where great geological action has taken place to provide towering escarpments, volcanic mountains and peaks like Mount Longonot and Mount Suswa, fresh and alkaline lakes like Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria.
The Rift was formed geologically.
Great Rift Valley in Kenya is estimated to have been formed between 25 and 30 million years ago, in the Miocene age. The way the process occurred was as follows:
Tectonic Plate Movements
The outermost layer of the earth or lithosphere is separated into massive plates which are floating on the semi-fluid mantle which is beneath it. The African Plate started acquiring internal stresses in East Africa, which started cracking and tearing apart gradually. The movement of convection currents in the mantle contributed to these stresses and was the force that was pushed out the plates.
Millions of years later, the Nubian and Somali plates started moving apart, forming a succession of fractures and faults in the crust.
Escarpment and Faulting Formation.
With the expansion of the crust, it tore apart into huge blocks. Others subsided to create deep valleys (called graben) and some were left unusually high creating high escarpments. In Kenya, Rift Valley escarpment will ascend steeply to a height of up to 1,000 meters giving it one of the most dramatic scenery in the nation.
Volcanic Activity
The crust started stretching to enable the magma of the mantle to become closer to the surface. This led to volcanic eruptions, which have formed most of the scenery of the Rift Valley. These eruptions created volcanic mountains including Mount Menengai, Mount Longonot, and Mount Suswa which is active to date. The lava flows and volcano craters are also very widespread in the region, as a testament to its hot geological history.
Lake Formation
Landslides formed depresses that were filled with water in the future to form the chain of Rift Valley lakes. In Kenya, they are Lake Turkana in the north, lakes baringo, lakes bogoria, lakes Nakuru, lakes Naivasha and lakes Magadi in the south. These lakes are in different forms where some are fresh water, such as Naivasha and Baringo, and some are alkaline or salty, such as Magadi and Bogoria. Their variations have been associated with volcanoes, inflow of water and rates of evaporation.
The Rift Valley Today
Great Rift Valley is not a historic place; rather it is a geologic mechanism in operation. Scientists think that the rifting process is still continuing and that in a few millions of years, the Somali Plate can fully divide off the rest of Africa, forming a new ocean. These processes are ongoing tectonic activities as witnessed by the earthquakes and volcanic activity in the region.
In Kenya, Rift Valley has remained a determinant of land as well as human activity. The volcanic soils are fertile and support agriculture and the geothermal power that is extracted through the hot springs and geysers can serve as a source of renewable energy that can grow.
Scientific and Cultural Significance.
Cradle of Humankind
The Rift Valley has been commonly known as the cradle of humankind due to the high fossil record. Other locations like Lake Turkana have produced ancient fossils of hominids, including the well-known Turkana Boy, the almost complete skeleton of a Homo erectus estimated at 1.6 million years and several others. Such findings have yielded important information on the evolution of man.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Some of Kenya most renowned wildlife reserves can be found in the Rift Valley among them being Lake Nakuru national park that has its flamingos and Lake bogoria that is home to hot springs and geysers. The variety of habitat formed by rift lakes, savannahs and volcanic highlands hold both the species like the elephants and rhinos as well as unique populations of birds.
Economy and Settlement of Man.
Its rich soils have also contributed to it being one of the most important agricultural areas in Kenya which has produced foods like maize, wheat and horticultural products as well. The landscape and game give the Rift Valley a significant contribution in Kenya economy since several thousands of tourists visit the region annually.
Why the Rift Valley in Kenya is Special.
Although the East African Rift is part of numerous nations, a part of it situated in Kenya is especially impressive because of it’s:
Chain of lakes: With their own individual chemistry and life.
Dramatic Escarpments: Providing panoramic views like those done around Naivasha and Nakuru.
Volcanic Features: This includes active geothermal sites such as Hell’s gate national park.
Archaeological Treasures: Fossil findings throughout the world famous near Lake Turkana.
Conclusion
The great rift valley of Kenya is a living example of the mighty forces which form our earth. It is a formation of millions of years of plate tectonic movements, faults, volcanic eruptions and lake development that is still in the process of continuing to occur today. The Rift Valley has a world-wide relevance in its dramatic landscape, a cradle of humankind, a hot-spot of biodiversity, and an invaluable source of human habitation and economy.
