Zambezi - Tributaries, Their Basin Areas, Discharge Rates and Region Drained

Tributaries, Their Basin Areas, Discharge Rates and Region Drained

Upper Zambezi: 507,200 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 Gorge 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: 54,144 km², 152 m³/s, Manica plateau, NE Zimbabwe
• Shire River, 154,000 km², 539 m³/s, Lake Malawi basin

Zambezi Delta, 12,000 km²

Total Zambezi river basin: 1,390,000 km², 3424 m³/s discharged into delta

Source: Beilfuss & Dos Santos (2001) The Okavango Basin is not included in the figures because it only occasionally overflows to any extent into the Zambezi.

Due to the rainfall distribution, northern tributaries contribute much more water than southern ones, for example: the Northern Highlands catchment of the upper Zambezi contributes 25%, Kafue 8%, Luangwa and Shire Rivers 16% each, total 65% of Zambezi discharge. The large Cuando basin in the south-west on the other hand contributes only about 2 m³/s because most is lost through evaporation in its swamp systems. The 1940s and 1950s were particularly wet decades in the basin. Since 1975, it has been drier, the average discharge being only 70% of that for the years 1930 to 1958.