19 Lake Volta Facts: An Amazing Artificial Reservoir to Visit!

Lake Volta is the fourth-largest reservoir in the world and aligns with the Prime meridian.

It is considered one of the largest human-made lakes in the world due to its surface area. Volta Lake is located in Ghana and has islands including Dwarf and Dodi.

Volta Lake is in a tropical area, and the climate is pleasantly warm throughout the year. It is an attractive destination for tourists, and the small towns near the dam are developing as a result.

It supplies electricity to Ghana and some nearby countries, too. Lake Volta is also important as a transportation waterway for people living in nearby towns. The north-western shore is part of the Digya National Park, where tourists flock to see many different types of wild animals, including aquatic creatures like waterbuck, otters, and crocodiles.

There are many resorts near Lake Volta, and you can enjoy water sports and fishing here. The locals also depend on fishing for their livelihood and know the right places to catch the popular Volta perch, catfish, tigerfish, and more. People love to come here to experience the beauty of the Akosombo Dam and the national park.

Are you interested in finding out more fascinating facts about this artificial lake and its dam? Read on for more interesting facts about Lake Volta.

The Geography Of Lake Volta

Ghana is a beautiful country in Africa and is home to Lake Volta. Find out more about Lake Volta's engaging geography with the facts below.

Lake Volta is an artificial reservoir and, due to its huge expanse, it is the largest water body in the world by surface area and, according to its volume, it is the fourth-largest lake in the world.

Black Volta and White Volta rivers merge and then create Lake Volta near the south of Ajena. Volta Lake, the fourth-largest reservoir, is formed due to the Akosombo Dam, and the river confluence extends to Yapei. Under the government of Ghana, the Volta River Authority owns the Akosombo Dam and runs its operations.

Black Volta and White Volta rivers are the sources of inflow into the reservoir. They exit from the dam in the form of the Volta River flowing across the Accra Plains and finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

It is one of the popular navigation routes for locals providing convenient transportation for both people and cargo. Lake Volta also is the financial backbone of the economy, and people depend on it for fishing, irrigation, and electricity.

The History Of Lake Volta

Interested in reading more about Lake Volta? Then check out these facts about its compelling history, from when the lake was created.

Lake Volta was created when the government of Ghana planned a dam to be constructed across Akosombo Gorge, where the White Volta River and the Black Volta River merge. An Italian firm was authorized to construct the dam and the result was Lake Volta.

Ghana gained independence in 1957, and its first President commissioned the project. The construction of Volta Lake finally began in 1961, but the project took many years to complete. The project received funds from the U.S. and the World Bank, which helped its construction.

The reservoir of Lake Volta covers one-third of Ghana's land area. In fact, 3.6% of the country, approximately 3,283 sq mi (5,283 sq km), is covered by the reservoir.

Volta Lake contains a huge amount of water that led to a major displacement due to flooding, and approximately 740 villages and 80,000 people had to move away from the reservoir.

The Economic Significance Of Volta Lake

A country's development is measured by its economic growth, and Volta Lake is no exception. lake Volta has many economic benefits and impact, so why not read on to find out more about its economy?

Tourism, fishing, and electricity generation are major sources of earnings from Lake Volta. There are thousands of people, including small children, working in the region who are connected with the fishing industry in some way.

The people of Ghana depend on fish as their primary source of protein and nutrition, while the waterways help local people trade through river transportation, and they also attract tourism. Irrigation using water from Volta Lake helps the region to improve agriculture and food supplies.

Tourists should visit Salaga Village, in the Volta region, as this village lies between the White Volta and Black Volta rivers. You can hire boats to go to the dam and Dodi Island. Also, the small town of Akosombo has grown due to the dam of the same name and is a tourist attraction as well.

Another occupation is the removal of submerged trees from the water, which is a huge local industry and has many uses. These trees hamper the movement of boat people and fishers, and the nets used to catch fish get entangled in the submerged trees. People dive in, especially small kids, to help remove these trees and facilitate smooth navigation.

An investment firm has also started a venture to harvest timber from the flooded forests near the reservoir, which brings in revenue and funds for the government, which is beneficial for the country's economy and the environment.

They help save precious trees by using the recovered timber, which has huge potential for local economic growth as this kind of large venture can bring in foreign currency for the country. 

This venture may also help reduce dependency on the agriculture and fishing industries. The business plans to harvest precious tropical hardwood without harming the existing forests, as the area around Lake Volta has the largest source of sustainable hardwood in the world, and this can be harvested without any negative impact or the destruction of green forests.

Another avenue for income for the local region is tourism. Volta Lake is situated in a tropical area and tourists love the pleasant climate throughout the year.

The Bolta region may remain flooded during the rainy season, but Lake Volta is becoming more popular and inviting more tourists to the region. This growing industry also helps boost the local economy and that of Ghana.

Power Generation From The Akosombo Dam

A dam was built on Lake Volta to generate electricity. This dam is called the Akosombo Dam and it generates energy that is used to power the region. Read on for more information about its power supply to the area.

The Akosombo Dam is the largest source of hydro-power for the region. In fact, this one dam produces 912 MW of electricity and can supply most of Ghana's electricity. The dam supplies electricity to Togo and other smaller countries in the vicinity.

The dam provides fresh water and power to the villages and towns located in the Volta region. Another great advantage is the supply of electricity to aluminum smelters at the port of Tema, which is some 15.53 mi (25 km) from the capital, Accra.

The smelter uses a major part of this power from the Volta Lake dam, while the rest is distributed for domestic use.

Lake Volta is an artificial reservoir but has brought economic advantages to the locals and the country. It has become a model sustainable business harvesting trees from flooded areas and a great tourist attraction due to its sheer size.