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What is the first river to enter the Zambezi?
The first of its large tributaries to enter the Zambezi is the Kabompo River in the northwestern province of Zambia. A major advantage of the Kabompo River was irrigation. The savanna through which the river has flowed gives way to a wide floodplain, studded with Borassus fan palms. A little farther south is the confluence with the Lungwebungu River. This is the beginning of the Barotse Floodplain, the most notable feature of the upper Zambezi, but this northern part does not flood so much and includes islands of higher land in the middle.
Where is the power station on the Zambezi River?
There are additional two smaller power stations along the Zambezi River in Zambia, one at Victoria Falls and the other one near Kalene Hill in Ikelenge District.
How did the floods in the Zambezi affect the ecosystem?
Before the dams were built seasonal flooding of the Zambezi had quite a different impact on the ecosystems of the delta from today as it brought nutritious fresh water down to the Indian Ocean coastal wetlands. The lower Zambezi experienced a small flood surge early in the dry season as rain in the Gwembe catchment and north-eastern Zimbabwe rushed through while rain in the Upper Zambezi, Kafue, and Lake Malawi basins, and Luangwa to a lesser extent, is held back by swamps and floodplains. The discharge of these systems contributed to a much larger flood in March or April, with a mean monthly maximum for April of 6,700 cubic metres (240,000 cu ft) per second at the delta. The record flood was more than three times as big, 22,500 cubic metres (790,000 cu ft) per second being recorded in 1958. By contrast the discharge at the end of the dry season averaged just 500 cubic metres (18,000 cu ft) per second.
What is the name of the river that flows into the Indian Ocean?
Zambezi Basin. The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is 1,390,000 square kilometres (540,000 sq mi), slightly less than half of the Nile 's.
What is the watershed between the Zambezi and Congo?
Eastward of the source, the watershed between the Congo and Zambezi basins is a well-marked belt of high ground, running nearly east–west and falling abruptly to the north and south. This distinctly cuts off the basin of the Lualaba (the main branch of the upper Congo) from that of the Zambezi. In the neighborhood of the source the watershed is not as clearly defined, but the two river systems do not connect.
Why is the Zambezi overfishing?
As of 2017 the situation of overfishing in the upper Zambezi and its tributaries was considered dire, in part due to weak enforcement of the respective fisheries acts and regulations . The fish stocks of Lake Liambezi in the eastern Caprivi were found to be totally depleted, and surveys indicated a decline in the whole Zambezi- Kwando - Chobe river system. Illegal fishing (i.a. by foreign nationals employed by Namibians) and commercially minded individuals, exploited the resources to the detriment of local markets and the communities whose culture and economy depend on these resources.
Why is the Okavango basin not included in the figures?
Source: Beilfuss & Dos Santos (2001) The Okavango Basin is not included in the figures because it only occasionally overflows to any extent into the Zambezi.
Where does the Chambezi flow?
The Chambezi, or Chambeshi, courses for around 300 miles through the African nation of Zambia. The Chambezi starts out as a small stream in the northern mountains of Zambia, and flows down into the Bangweulu swamps, which are also connected to Lake Bangweulu.
How deep is the Chambezi River?
Its deepest sections reach down to 720 feet, and it flows through 10 different African countries.
What is the habitat of the Chambeshi River?
The Chambeshi River holds a varied habitat for its flora and fauna, all the way from its stream-like beginnings high up in the mountains of Zambia to the tropical and sub-tropical floodplains and wetlands where the river is much larger.
What is the purpose of the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation of Zambia?
The Wildlife and Environmental Conservation of Zambia was started in 1953 to alert the people of Zambia in regards to the need for protecting wildlife through education and conservation.
Which river flows through the marsh canals east of Kasama?
From there, it then flows to the Luapula River with enormous speed through the marsh canals east of Kasama as it courses onward towards the Atlantic ocean. The Chambezi River is considered the ninth longest river in the world. Even large river steamboats can navigate its course without difficulty. 4. Historical Role.
Why did West African nations build dams?
West African nations have put up hydroelectric dams along the Chambezi River to help augment their energy needs. The rainy season brings enough waterflow to the river that it could essentially provide the electricity needs of the sub-Saharan region easily with additional infrastructure.
Overview
The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers 1,390,000 square kilometres (540,000 sq mi), slightly less than half of the Nile's. The 2,574-kilometre-long river (1,599 mi) rises in Zambia and flows through eastern Angola, …
Course
The river rises in a black marshy dambo in dense undulating miombo woodland 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Mwinilunga and 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Ikelenge in the Ikelenge District of North-Western Province, Zambia, at about 1,524 metres (5,000 ft) above sea level. The area around the source is a national monument, forest reserve and Important Bird Area.
Delta
The delta of the Zambezi is today about half as broad as it was before the construction of the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams controlled the seasonal variations in the flow rate of the river. Before the dams were built, seasonal flooding of the Zambezi had quite a different impact on the ecosystems of the delta from today as it brought nutrient-rich fresh water down to the Indian Oce…
Climate
The north of the Zambezi basin has mean annual rainfall of 1100 to 1400 mm which declines towards the south, reaching about half that figure in the south-west. The rain falls in a 4-to-6-month summer rainy season when the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves over the basin from the north between October and March. Evaporation rates are high (1600 mm-2300 mm), and much water is lost this way in swamps and floodplains, especially in the south-west of the basin.
Wildlife
The river supports large populations of many animals. Hippopotamuses are abundant along most of the calm stretches of the river, as well as Nile crocodiles. Monitor lizards are found in many places. Birds are abundant, with species including heron, pelican, egret, lesser flamingo and African fish eagle present in large numbers. Riverine woodland also supports many large animals, such as buffalo, zebras, giraffes, and elephants.
Tributaries
Upper Zambezi: 507,200 km , discharges 1044 m /s at Victoria Falls, comprising:
Northern Highlands catchment, 222,570 km , 850 m /s at Lukulu: Chifumage River: Angolan central plateau Luena River: Angolan central plateau Kabompo River: 72,200 km , NW highlands of Zambia Lungwebungu River: 47,400 km , Angolan central plateau Central Plains catchment, 284,630 km , 196 m /s (Vict…
Geological history
Up to the Late Pliocene or Pleistocene (more than two million years ago), the upper Zambezi used to flow south through what is now the Makgadikgadi Pan to the Limpopo River. The change of the river course is the result of epeirogenic movements that uplifted the surface at the present-day water divide between both rivers.
History
The first European to come across the Zambezi river was Vasco da Gama in January 1498, who anchored at what he called Rio dos Bons Sinais ("River of Good Omens"), now the Quelimane or Quá-Qua, a small river on the northern end of the delta, which at that time was connected by navigable channels to the Zambezi river proper (the connection silted up by the 1830s). In a few of the ol…