In 1990, with lower rainfall than usual, there was competition over land use between cattle grazers and harvesting of fonio grains.

Cattle spent three-quarters of their grazing time around the shores of the lake or in depressions.

[3] During the dry season, the Tamasheq people of the region rely on the lake as an important source of water, their only alternative being pits and wells to reach groundwater that may be 50 metres (160 ft) underground.

[5] As of 2009, the lake was sometimes visited by lone male elephants in January or February.

As a result, for a period, Timbuktu again came under the authority of Amadu II of Masina.