User talk:Rexparry sydney/Sandbox

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

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.^[1]

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
• 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.^[1]