Zambezi River Basin

Water Resources

Luangwa and Luena flats cover an area greater than 2.6 million hectares (SADC and ZRA 2007). These wetlands are used for fisheries, agriculture, wildlife management, and transportation services.  The variations in flooding in areas such as the Zambezi floodplains, East Caprivi wetlands, Kafue Flats and Muzarabani district create the soils used to support the intensive agriculture that sustains communities living near them.

Water resources are essential for the social and economic development of the basin’s society, supporting industry, domestic water use, hydropower generation, irrigation, transportation and recreation. Wetlands Wetlands cover a large area of the Zambezi River Basin. For example, in Zambia the Kafue Flats, Lukanga swamps, Barotse flood plains, Nyambomba swamps, Cuando, Busanga,

Zambezi River Basin wetlands Zambezi River Basin wetlands

TANZANIA

TANZANIA

Z a m b e z i Z a m b e z i

Luangwa Floodplains Luangwa Floodplains

L u n g u e B u n g o L u n g u e B u n g o

K a b o m p o K a b o m p o

L u a n g w a L u a n g w a

MALAWI

MALAWI

C u a n d o

ZAMBIA

Lukanga Swamps Lukanga Swamps

ANGOLA

MOZAMBIQUE

C u a n d o

ZAMBIA

Zambezi Floodplains Zambezi Floodplains

K a f u e

ANGOLA

MOZAMBIQUE

S h i r e

Kafue Flats

K a f u e

Z a m b e z i Z a m b e z i

M a z o e

S h i r e

Kafue Flats

M a z o e

ZIMBABWE

S h a n g a n i S h a n g a n i

NAMIBIA

ZIMBABWE

BOTSWANA

NAMIBIA

Wetland type

BOTSWANA

Freshwater marsh Impondment RAMSAR site Freshwater marsh Impondment RAMSAR site

Sources: Denconsult 1998. ZACPLAN Sector Studies: Introductory Volume. Final Report. Southern African Development Community and Zambezi River Authority, Lusaka; Wetlands International 2011. Ramsar Sites Information Service. Accessed on 22 November 2011 from www.ramsar.org Sources: Denconsult 1998. ZACPLAN Sector Studies: Introductory Volume. Final Report. Southern African Development Community and Zambezi River Authority, Lusaka; Wetlands International 2011. Ramsar Sites Information Service. Accessed on 22 November 2011 from www.ramsar.org

Wetland type

Figure 1.5

© ARA Zambeze

16