Zambezi River Basin

rainfall evaporates as soon as it falls, 20 per cent is lost through evapotranspiration and an average of 14 per cent is available as surface runoff (Chenje 2000). Average annual rainfall across the river basin varies from 500 mm in the extreme south and southwest part of the basin to more than 1 400 mm in the Upper Zambezi and Kabompo sub-basins, in the north-eastern shores of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa in Tanzania, and in the

southern border area between Malawi and Mozambique (Chenje 2000).

Rainfall is greatest in the north, with an extensive area receiving over 1 000 mm, and declines towards the south, where most areas receive less than 700 mm (SADC and ZRA 2007). In general, there is only a single rainy season in the year. Rainy seasons are longer in the north and northeast, and much shorter in the southwest.

Zambezi River Basin average temperature

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

TANZANIA

July

Z a m b e z i

L u n g w e b u n g u

MALAWI

L u a n g w a

K a b o m p o

C u a n d o

ZAMBIA

ANGOLA

MOZAMBIQUE

K a f u e

S h i r e

Z a m b e z i

M a z o e

ZIMBABWE

S h a n g a n i

BOTSWANA

NAMIBIA

12 14 16 18 20 22 24 °C

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

TANZANIA

December

Z a m b e z i

L u n g u e B u n g o

MALAWI

L u a n g w a

K a b o m p o

C u a n d o

ZAMBIA

ANGOLA

MOZAMBIQUE

K a f u e

S h i r e

Z a m b e z i

M a z o e

ZIMBABWE

S h a n g a n i

BOTSWANA

NAMIBIA

Sources: Denconsult 1998. ZACPLAN Sector Studies: Introductory Volume. Final Report. Southern African Development Community and Zambezi River Authority, Lusaka; Chenje, M. (Ed.) 2000. State of the Environment Zambezi Basin 2000. SADC/IUCN/ZRA/SARDC, Maseru/Lusaka/Harare

Figure 1.7

21