Rukarara River

Coordinates: 2°26′15″S 29°29′38″E / 2.437457°S 29.493914°E / -2.437457; 29.493914
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rukarara River
Location
CountryRwanda
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates2°16′56″S 29°19′52″E / 2.282212°S 29.331242°E / -2.282212; 29.331242
Mouth 
 • coordinates
2°26′15″S 29°29′38″E / 2.437457°S 29.493914°E / -2.437457; 29.493914
Basin size280 km2 (110 sq mi)
Basin features
River systemNyabarongo River

The Rukarara River (or Lukarara) is a river in western Rwanda that is a tributary of the Mwogo River, in turn a tributary of the Nyabarongo River. It is the most distant headwater of the Nile.

Sources

The Rukarara rises in forested country in southern Rwanda to the east of the Congo-Nile Divide.[1] The Kamiranzovu Swamp in the Nyungwe Forest Reserve provides a natural reservoir for the Rukarara.[1] The source of the Rukarara is now known to be the overall source of the Nile.[2][3] This was confirmed by a 2005/2006 expedition up the river with modern navigation equipment. The origin of the Nile, the furthest source from its mouth, is at an elevation of 7,966 feet (2,428 m), at latitude and longitude 2°16′055.962″S 29°19′052.470″E / 2.28221167°S 29.33124167°E / -2.28221167; 29.33124167.[4]

Course

The Rukarara has its sources in the Nyamagabe District. The Nyirabugoyi and Rubyiro rivers are its main headwaters, both rising in the

Nyungwe National Park. [5]
The Rukarara is the longest of the streams that supply the Mwogo.[6] The Rukarara flows south and then east, emptying into the Mwogo River. The Mwogo flows north, merging with the Mbirurume River south of Bwakira to become the Nyabarongo River.[6]

References

Sources

  • Brakspear, Patrick (2008). On Safari in Africa: 101 Things to Know When You Go. On Safari in Africa. p. 20. . Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  • Briggs, Philip; Booth, Janice (2010-03-16). Rwanda. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 154. . Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  • Dumont, Henri J. (2009). The Nile: Origin, Environments, Limnology and Human Use. Springer. p. 2. . Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  • Hughes, Ralph H.; Hughes, Jane S.; Bernacsek, G. M. (1992). Iucn Directory of African Wetlands. IUCN. p. 205. . Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  • ITMB Publishing (2007). Rwanda/Burundi Travel Map. Richmond, British Columbia: International Travel Maps. .
  • "Nyamagabe Administrative Map" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2013-04-02.