Zambezi River Basin

Lake Cahora Bassa has a storage capacity of about 63 000 million cu m upon completion of the dam. The lake started filling in December 1974. The inundation flooded a large area, and had caused a significant change to the surronding habitat. This almost resulted in the disappearance

species. Examples include the invasion of pines and wattle trees into the montane grasslands of Mt. Mulanje, the introduction of the Nile tilapia fish ( Oreochromis niloticus ) to the waters of the Middle Zambezi, and Kariba weed ( Salvinia molesta ) into the Chobe system and Lake Kariba (Timberlake 2000). Probably the greatest impact on biodiversity in the basin was due to dam construction. The Kariba, Cahora Bassa, Itezhi-Tezhi and Kafue dams (constructed from 1950 to 1970) changed hydrology, modified flooding cycles, and affected habitat and species composition.

immediate surroundings. There is no marked dry season, temperatures do not fluctuate greatly, and habitats include dry forests and grasslands. Most species found here are widespread along the East African Coast from Somalia to northern Kwazulu–Natal in South Africa. Threats to Biodiversity There are numerous threats to the basin’s biodiversity, including land clearance for agriculture and expansion of human settlement, dam construction, fires, and invasion by alien

© Antonio Klaus Kaarsberg

© Antonio Klaus Kaarsberg

Cahora Bassa is the second largest artificial lake in the Zambezi basin, after Kariba.

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