[1] According to the Insider’s guide to Kenya Lodwar's history began around 1933 when a trader named Shah Mohamed arrived on the banks of the Turkwell River.

During the colonial period, Lodwar functioned as a transit point for British officials moving Kenyan political prisoners to the north.

The town had developed a reputation as an isolated outpost removed from the rest of Kenya, but in recent years Lodwar has expanded and gained commercial and economic prominence.

Almost 1.3 billion cubic meters can be stored here with about 10% that can be utilized without causing unacceptable environmental, economic and social challenges.

[7] There is one shallow groundwater system in the region hosting potable freshwater, though its residents experience intermittent water shortages leading to the deaths of their cattle.