The craters are maars, or explosion craters, similar to El Sod, and were formed in a similar manner by a multitude of explosive steam eruptions through groundwater or a shallow lake.

The crater rim deposits at DebreZeit (Bishoftu) consist of cinders, ash, and fragments of the basalt rock through which the explosive eruptions occurred. There are about a dozen explosion craters at Debre Zeit (Bishoftu), some of which are in double, triple or even quadruple nested groups, as well as numerous cinder cones and hills of rhyolite and pumice, aligned more or less parallel to the Rift Valley.

A maar is a low-relief, broad volcanic crater formed by shallow explosive eruptions. The explosions are usually caused by the heating and boiling of groundwater when magma invades the groundwater table.

Green Lake at Bishoftu (Debrezeit): One of Maar explosive crater Lake were formed In a similar manner by a multitudes of explosive steam eruptions through groundwater or a shallow lake. The lake is surrounded by Volcanic Ash, Black Scoria and pumice.

All of the lakes contain relatively high concentrations of zinc and lead. While minerals play a part in the coloring, another key factor is the amount of oxygen present in the water. This lake waters appear greener when low in oxygen. #Green water lakes commonly have high concentrations of chlorophyll-containing #algae which can give water a green color. Chlorophyll can be measured with sensors such as the YSI chlorophyll probe.

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