Betsiboka River
Betsiboka River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Madagascar |
Region | Boeny |
City | Mahajanga, Ambato-Boeny |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Confluence of Jabo and Amparihibe |
• coordinates | 18°21′33″S 47°29′12″E / 18.35917°S 47.48667°E |
• elevation | 939 m (3,081 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Bombetoka Bay, Mozambique Channel |
• coordinates | 15°48′55″S 46°16′13″E / 15.81528°S 46.27028°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 525 km (326 mi) to 605 km (376 mi)[1] |
Basin size | 49,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi)[1] |
Discharge | |
• location | Betsiboka Delta |
• average | (Period: 1971–2000)1,407.1 m3/s (49,690 cu ft/s)[2] |
• minimum | 400 m3/s (14,000 cu ft/s)[1] |
• maximum | 4,500 m3/s (160,000 cu ft/s)[1] |
Basin features | |
River system | Betsiboka River |
Tributaries | |
• left | Jano, Ikopa, Iabohazo |
• right | Amparihibe, Saharanotra, Mananara, Mananta, Isinko, Kamoro |
Betsiboka River is a 525-kilometre (326 mi) long river in central-north Madagascar. It flows northwestward and empties to Bombetoka Bay, forming a large delta. It originates to the east of Antananarivo. The river is surrounded in mangroves.[3] The river is distinctive for its red-coloured water, which is caused by river sediments. The river carries an enormous amount of reddish-orange silt to the sea. Much of this silt is deposited at the mouth of the river or in the bay.
It is dramatic evidence of the catastrophic erosion of northwestern Madagascar..
The Betsiboka's largest tributary, the Ikopa River, drains the capital city of Antananarivo.
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Betsiboka River estuary seen from space
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The Betsiboka River in normal conditions
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The Betsiboka River when flooded
See also
References
- ^ .
- ^ "Madagascar".
- ISBN 978-1-84162-341-2. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
- ^ Tsilavo Raharimahefa and Timothy M. Kusky (2010). "Environmental monitoring of Bombetoka bay and the Betsiboka estuary, Madagascar, using multi-temporal satellite data". Archived from the original on 2012-12-09.
External links
- Floods in Madagascar[dead link] at NASA Earth Observatory
- Sediment Laden Drainages at Lunar and Planetary Institute, USRA
- NASA: Earth from Space