Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How does water leave Lake Victoria and reach the Nile River?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
East African lakes
Mountains and lakes of East Africa.
Water leaves Lake Victoria through a single outlet located on its northern coast, which forms the Victoria Nile river.12
The flow of water from the lake follows this path:
- Exit: The water exits the lake near Jinja, Uganda, passing over the Owen Falls (the site of the Nalubaale and Kiira dams).312
- Lake Kyoga: The Victoria Nile flows northward into Lake Kyoga, passing through its swampy vegetation.34
- Descent: The river then turns west and north, descending over Karuma Falls and Murchison (Kabalega) Falls as it enters the East African Rift System.14
- Lake Albert: The river empties into the northern end of Lake Albert, where its waters unite with the lake before continuing northward as the Albert Nile.314