User talk:Rexparry sydney/Sandbox

The Zambezi Basin

The north of the Zambezi basin has mean annual rainfall of 1100 to 1400 mm which declines to the south, reaching about half that figure in the south-west. The rain falls in a 4 to 6 month rainy season when the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone moves over the basin from the north. Evaporation rates are high (1600mm−2300 mm) and much water is lost through evaporation in swamps and flood plains, especially in the east and south-east of the basin.

Tributaries, their basin areas, discharge rates, and region drained

Data from this reference.

Upper Zambezi: 507200 km², discharges 1044 m³/s at Victoria Falls, comprising:

Northern Highlands catchment, 222,570 km², 850 m³/s at Lukulu

• Chifumage River, Angolan central plateau
• Luena River, Angolan central plateau
• Kabompo River, 72,200 km², NW highlands of Zambia
• Lungwebungu River, 47,400 km², Angolan central plateau

Central Plains catchment, 284,630 km², 196 m³/s (Victoria Falls-Lukulu)

• Luanguingu River, 34,600 km², Angolan central plateau
• Luampa River, 20,500 km², eastern side of Zambezi
• Cuando /Linyanti/Chobe River, 133,200 km², Angolan S plateau & Caprivi

Middle Zambezi cumulatively 1,050,000 km², 2442 m³/s, measured at Cahora Bassa Gorge

(Middle section by itself: 542,800 km², discharges 1398 m³/s (C. Bassa-Victoria Falls)

Gwembe Catchment, 156,600 km², 232 m³/s (Kariba Gorge-Vic Falls)

• Gwayi River, 54,610 km², NW Zimbabwe
• Sengwa River, 25,000 km², North-central Zimbabwe
• Sanyati River, 43,500 km², North-central Zimbabwe

Kariba to C. Bassa catchment, 386200 km², 1166 m³/s (C. Bassa-Kariba Gorge)

• Kafue River, 154,200 km², 285 m³/s, West-central Zambia & Copperbelt
• Luangwa River, 151,400 km², 547 m³/s, Luangwa Rift Valley & plateau NW of it
• Panhane River, 23,897 km², North-central Zimbabwe plateau

Lower Zambezi cumulatively, 1,378,000 km², 3424 m³/s, measured at Marromeu

(Lower section by itself: 328,000 km², 982 m³/s (Marromeu-C. Bassa))

• Luia River, 28,000 km², Moravia-Angonia plateau, N of Zambezi
• Luenha River/Mazoe River, 54144 km², 152 m³/s, Manica plateau, NE Zimbabwe
• Shire River , 154000 km², 539 m³/s, Lake Malawi

Zambezi Delta, 12,000 km²

TOTAL ZAMBEZI RIVER BASIN: 1,390,000 km², 3424 m³/s discharged into delta

Note that northern tributaries contribute much more water than southern ones, for example: Northern Highlands catchment of upper Zambezi 25%, Kafue 8%, Luangwa and Shire Rivers 16% each, total 65%. The large Cuando basin in the south-east contributes only about 2 m³/s because most is lost through evaporation in its swamp systems.