Linyanti Swamp

Linyanti Swamp

Location: border between Botswana and Namibia

Area:n275 000 acres (111 288 hectares)

 

Description of Linyanti Swamp

 Linyanti Swamp is a wetland biosphere formed around the Linyanti River that is also known as a Chobe River. Linyanti Swamp is located on the border between Botswana and Namibia and covers an area of 900 square kilometers. On a Botswana site Linyanti Swamp is protected by the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve that covers an area of 275 000 acres (111 288 hectares). The banks of the river is lined by tall papyrus plants with forests of marula tree and giant ebony. Fauna of the Linyanti Swamp include elephants, crocodiles, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, lions, zebras, wildebeests and many other species.
 
Keep in mind that area of Linyanti Swamp is a malaria infested so take proper medications for prophylaxis of this disease. It is especially true during the rainy season between November and March when humid hot environment breeds malaria mosquitoes. During May to October months when the Dry season comes to the region water level drops and most of the game in the area gather in large hoards around the river ways of the Chobe River.

 

Course

The Cuando rises in the Bié highlands in Angola and flows towards the southeast. The border with Zambia follows later. The Cuando then flows through the Caprivi Strip of Namibia near Kongola and forms the border with Botswana on its southern edge. In this section it forms the inland delta of the Linyanti Marshes and then turns abruptly to the east. From here it is called Linyanti and - after passing the temporarily dry Lake Liambezi - Chobe (pronounced Tschobe). The river flows into the Zambezi near Kazungula, on the four borders of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Linyanti
In the section of the river called Linyanti, the river areas of the neighboring western Okavango river are in temporary contact. During heavy floods, water from the Okavango reaches the Linyanti via the Magwekwana River (also called the Selinda Channel). Likewise, at appropriate water levels, some of the water flows from the Linyanti via the Savuti into the Mababe Depression. At this point, at the end of the last glacial period, the Linyanti inland delta continued southwards, where it was connected to the Okavango inland delta. The stronger sediment deposition there and a line of dunes extending to the east contributed to the Linyanti flowing east to the Zambezi with a sharp change of direction (see satellite image map).

 

Hydrometry

The variable humid climate, large evaporation areas in the swamps and water losses into the subsoil result in an unusually uniform and, in relation to the size of the catchment area, low water flow in the Cuando.

The flow rate of the river was measured at the mouth in m³/s. The display of graphics is currently disabled due to a security problem.

 

Ecology

Mainly because of the high game population, the following national parks have been established in the Cuando river basin, all of which fall within the cross-border Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area:

Luiana Game Reserve (Angola)
Sioma-Ngweizi National Park (Zambia)
Bwabwata National Park (Namibia)
Mudumu National Park (Namibia)
Nkasa-Rupara National Park (Namibia)
Chobe National Park (Botswana)