Africa is rich in natural resources. One of the largest bodies of water on the continent is the Okavango River. It does not dry out all year round. The waters of this river give life to many animals and plants, and people settle along its coast.
The reservoir is known for its diversity of flora and fauna. There are reserves in its basin. What is the Okavango, what features does it have, will be discussed further.
General information
In Africa, the Okavango River gives life to many species of animals and plants. She is known for her waywardness. The Okavango begins 300 km from the Atlantic Ocean. However, her waters are not directed to him. They rush towards the Indian Ocean. But they don't reach him either.
Okavango flows in the southwest of the continent. The Kalahari Desert prevents the river from reaching the Indian Ocean. The hot sands dry it up. In the lands of this vast, cruel desert, all the water of the Okavango disappears without a trace.
Before getting lost in these burning sands, the river spills wide. Gardens spread around it, which many compare to Eden. Here you can observe the second largest delta in the world. It is second only to the Niger River. Her delta is the widest in the world. Among the inland rivers, it has no equal. Among such reservoirs, the Okavango Delta ranks first in the world.
General geographical information
When studying the waters of Africa, one should consider the characteristics of the Okavango River. This is a unique reservoir. The river flows inside the mainland, flowing into the desert. It originates on the Bie Plateau (Angola). The river ends in a swampy delta, which is one of the largest in the world.
The river feeds mostly on rainwater. It does not flow into the ocean, lake, sea or other body of water. The source of the river is above sea level at an altitude of 1780 m. The mouth (bog) of the Okavango is located at a level of 700-900 m. Once this river flowed into Lake Makgadikgadi. Now it's dry.
The largest tributary is Quito. It is located on the left side of the reservoir. The river flows in Angola (upper course). Going down to the south, at a distance of 400 km, it is the natural and political border between this state and Namibia. After that, the river flows into Botswana. In Angola, this body of water is called Kubango.
Measurements
In southern Africa, the Okavango ranks IV in length. Its basin has an area of 721 thousand km². The length of the Okavango River is 1.6 thousand km. It is quite narrow near the source. If you move further downstream, you can notice the expansion of the flow. Closer to the delta, it is about 20 km.
Water consumption on averageriver is 475 m³/s. During the rainy season, this figure can reach 1 thousand m³ / s. When drought sets in, water use is reduced. During this period, it can be as low as 100 m³/s.
The area of the delta is about 15 thousand km². In the rainy season it overflows. During this period, the delta occupies about 22 thousand km². During the year, the flow of water is 10 thousand km³. If we translate this figure into tons, we get the amount of solid runoff. It is 2 million tons. To this indicator, 2 million tons of s alts are also added, which are dissolved in the river. They settle in the delta region when the water begins to evaporate significantly.
The water level varies throughout the river. It drops sharply after the waterfalls on the border with Botswana.
Climatic conditions
Having considered where the Okavango River is, you should study the climate in its basin. The Okavango Delta is a natural oasis. A special microclimate has been established here. It differs significantly from the arid type of the surrounding tropics.
The most comfortable period for a person in this area lasts from March to June. At this time, the temperature during the day is about +30 ºС. Nights bring coolness. At this time, you can see a lot of tourists here. The hot and humid period lasts from December to March. Nights at this time are warm, and the temperature during the day reaches +40 ºС. The humidity level is between 50 and 80%.
It gets colder in June-August. Humidity also decreases during this period. At this time at night the temperature can drop to 0 ºС. Happywarm enough. In September-November, the river basin is dry and hot. The area receives an average of 450 mm of precipitation per year.
The path of the flow
Sufficiently large length of the Okavango River makes the reservoir diverse, unlike in different areas. From a narrow source, it rushes down the rapids channel. Here the reservoir is surrounded by the African savannah. This is the Bie Plateau. The river moves along it in a southeasterly direction.
Before the border with Botswana, the stream passes a series of Popa waterfalls. They block the riverbed across. The width of the stream here reaches 1.2 km. The current becomes calmer in the Kalahari Plain. Here the slope of the terrain decreases. At the same time, the flow slows down. Its waters spread wide. Numerous branches, lakes and lagoons appear. This is how the largest inland river delta on the planet is formed.
The path of the river ends here. However, it does not feed other water bodies. Here begins the realm of the Kalahari desert. This is its northern border. The delta forms an oasis in the desert. It is rich in diversity of flora and fauna. This is a special exotic world that tourists come to see.
Backwaters
The source of the Okavango River is quite narrow and turbulent. A mass of water rushes along the channel, overflowing after obstacles from waterfalls along numerous branches. The southern one feeds Lake Ngami during the flood period. It's fresh water.
Northern branch once every few years reaches a tributaryZambezi, which is called Kwando. It is at this time that the Okavango finds its way to the Indian Ocean. This period does not last long. The north arm then dries up on its way to Gwando.
Sometimes a branch called the Botletle feeds the s alt water lake Zkau. It is located on the outskirts of the swamps of the drainless depression Makgadikgadi. No more than 5% of the water of the entire delta enters here.
The Okavango Delta used to feed Lake Makgadikgadi. Today it dried up. In the basin during dry seasons, one can observe s alt marshes, which fill with water in the lowlands during the rainy season. At this time, 2 lakes are formed. At this time, life is in full swing here. When the drought comes, the basin again becomes a harsh, s alty firmament.
Water absorption
The Okavango Delta stretches thousands of kilometers inland. This is where the main water absorption takes place. About 60% of the river feeds the plants that abundantly inhabit this swampy area. Papyrus, lilies, water lilies, algae, shrubs and other representatives of the flora grow here. In the northeastern part there is the Moremi nature reserve.
Only 36% of water evaporates from the water surface of the river. This figure depends on the time of year. About 2% of water goes into the soil. The same amount of river resources goes to feed Lake Ngami. This can be observed in the years when the Okavango becomes the most full-flowing. This is not enough for the lake to maintain its position on the northern border of the Kalahari Desert. Therefore, it gradually dries up.
Ngami's malnutrition is affecting the squadwater. The area of the lake is shrinking. It turns into a soda-s alt type sump. Stripes of shoals appear, the shores are covered with a white coating.
Marshes
The mouth of the Okavango River is the largest ecosystem on the planet. This section of the reservoir is called a huge oasis, which has no equal on Earth. A shallow, vast delta here forms extensive wetlands. There is a variety of life here all year round.
The swamps of the river delta are overgrown with reeds and algae. Here you can observe tender water lilies on the surface of the water, and dense shrubs spread along the banks. Various animals come here to drink. Giraffes, elephants, lions and antelopes, hyenas and leopards travel kilometers to get to the source of life-giving moisture. Many species of waterfowl can be found here. Hippos live in the marshy waters of the river delta. There are also a lot of insects here.
The Okavango Delta has been inhabited for over 30,000 years. However, the population of the basin is small. The abundance of insects that spread malaria and other infections greatly affects this. The peoples of the Bantu group, the Bushmen live here.
Flora and fauna
The Okavango River is home to many species of animals, birds, fish and plants. It is in the lower reaches of this reservoir that most of the diversity of the flora and fauna of the basin is represented. Here, the life-giving swamps contrast with the arid expanses of the Kalahari.
Reeds and papyrus have grown in the upper part of the Okavango Delta. In places where swamps do not dry out all year round, you can observe a large numberwater lily. This place is also home to pygmy geese. Hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and certain types of antelope (sitatunga, lychee, puku) thrive in the Okavango swamps.
Among the birds there are rare species. Here you can meet a kite, an emerald kingfisher, an African fishing owl, a white heron, etc. Zebras, elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes are found in the lower part of the river. Predators here are represented by lions, hyenas and leopards.
Economic indicators
In Africa, the Okavango River is as important as the Nile. Its waters flow through the territory of 3 countries at once. Angola, Botswana and Namibia are in conflict over the possession of the river's precious water. On the banks of the Okavango, people practically do not conduct economic activities. Therefore, the water here is clean.
Angola is trying to strengthen the position of its national economy through the construction of a dam. Namibia, on the other hand, uses the resources that the previously built canal supplies. It is also planned to build a pipeline for water supply.
The Delta Wetlands is located in Botswana. Every year the treasury receives funds from ecotourism. It has gained popularity in recent decades. Tourists come to the Moremi nature reserve. They organize a safari. Therefore, the importance of water resources for this state, contributing to the maintenance of life in the Okavango Delta, can hardly be overestimated. A special commission was organized to resolve the conflict that arose due to the water consumption of the Okavango resources between these three countries.
Interesting facts
What is uniquethe Okavango Delta? Despite the hot climate, a large number of insects, it attracts many tourists. There are several interesting facts about the presented reservoir. Scientists claim that most of the s alt-type islands formed in the places of termite mounds.
The surface of the river delta is almost flat. Therefore, it takes about 7 months for water to cover the distance from its source to its southern edge. The huge size of the basin of the reservoir, the variety of flora and fauna attract a lot of tourists here. However, only 4 thousand tourists a year are allowed to visit the reserve. The cost of such tours is high.
Okavango Issues
The Okavango River is a precious natural resource for the countries through which it flows. The management here is not high-tech. Local tribes are engaged in animal husbandry, fishing, hunting. In Botswana, diamonds are mined on a large scale. However, this does not save the local population from hunger, epidemics, drought.
Before, cattle were not grazed in the swampy regions of the Okavango Delta. People conducted this activity at some distance from these places. There were many insects here, including the tsetse fly. The spread of diseases and infections has led to the fact that since ancient times cattle breeding has been carried out closer to the beginning of the delta, away from it.
With the development of modern technology, chemicals against insects began to be used here. The risk of infection has been eliminated. Shepherds began to drive their cattle into the virgin swamps of the river delta. This led to the displacement of antelopes and some other animal species from their original pastures. Their population began to decline. It is for this reason that reserves began to be organized. They contribute to the distribution of indigenous species of animals and plants in the Okavango basin. Without this, the area is in danger of a natural disaster.
Having considered the features, interesting facts about the Okavango River, you can get an idea about this reservoir, evaluate its importance for the largest oasis on the planet.
