The Lake Surface Area in June 2002 is calculated to be 2,524 km2. This figure was arrived at from a mission designed specifically to get a rough estimation of the surface area by circumnavigation of the lake. The mission was undertaken between 29th June and 8th July 2002.
This figure is assumed to be the least value of the surface area for the year based on the analysis of inflow into the lake and the onset of 2002 rainy season flow.
Analysis of satellite imagery conducted at the end of year 2002 gives the surface area in June to be about 3,536 Km2.