The lake has no outlet, and the level of water is greatly affected by seasonal rains and summer evaporation.

The Danish International Development Agency, in cooperation with the Government of Malawi has been working to ensure preservation of the lake and its wetlands.

The Lake Chilwa Basin Climate Change Adaption Programme (LCBCCAP) has been introduced to conserve the sensitive area, which is not only an important wetland for local fauna, but also a major source for fish products in the region.

Some of these migrate along the Asian - East African Flyway from Siberia each year.

The surrounding human population is dense and growing, and waterbirds are hunted for food when the water level is low and fishing is problematic.