Earlier today, I shared some observations from my exploration of geographical features in Rwanda’s Northern Province. At one point, I mentioned that the Ntaruka River no longer exists.
About an hour after publishing the piece, I received a message from a curious reader who wanted to know more about the lost river. I had no intention of writing a second post today, but since I promised to shed more light on the fate of this mysterious watercourse, I suppose I have to keep my word.
Before we get to the bottom of the vanished river, let me take you down memory lane.
I first visited the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera in 2017. Upon arrival, I hired a boat belonging to a local tour operator who would later become an investor. When I returned to these hidden gems three years later, I stayed at a lodge he had built overlooking the lakes.
His name is Gervais Hafashimana, the owner of My Hill Eco Lodge. After dinner, we shared a drink and talked about the attractions he knows like the back of his hand. During that conversation, I gathered information that helped explain the history of the lakes and the river that once connected them.
According to Hafashimana, a knowledgeable researcher, the stream that empties into Lake Burera originates in Rugezi Swamp, which lies close to Rwanda’s border with Uganda. Before the emergence of the Virunga volcanoes, the river flowing from the swamp is believed to have followed a different course, possibly toward the Congo Basin.
When the rising Virunga Massif blocked its original path, the water was forced to change direction. In the process, it gradually filled two empty valleys, giving rise to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
In my previous post, I described my experience hiking Mwiko Hill, which rises more than 8,000 feet above sea level between the two lakes. During the hike, I was guided by Ingabire Yves, a resident of Gitovu Sector in Burera District. His account of how the lakes were formed closely matched Hafashimana’s research findings.
After filling the first basin and forming Lake Burera, the water needed an outlet. It carved a channel toward the lower valley, creating the Ntaruka River. The river flowed into the second basin and gradually filled it, leading to the formation of Lake Ruhondo.
Millions of years later, the shortest river I have ever seen disappeared following the construction of the Ntaruka Hydropower Plant.
The developers of the power station blocked the river at its source and redirected the water through a pipeline. Instead of flowing naturally from Lake Burera into Lake Ruhondo, the water now rushes through the pipeline and spins turbines that generate electricity.
Ntaruka River did not simply dry up. Its water was diverted and given a new purpose. What was once a natural link between two lakes became part of Rwanda’s electricity-generating system.
The river may no longer appear on the landscape, but its water is still flowing, only through a different route.