TheBoteti River(alsoBotletle River[1][2]orBotletli)[3]is a naturalwatercourseinBotswana.It derives flow from the coreOkavango Deltathrough theThamalakane RiverinMaun.
| Boteti River Botletle, Botletli | |
|---|---|
 The Boteti River | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Botswana |
| Region | Okavango Delta |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Sua Pan |
• location | Botswana |
| Length | 1,700 km (1,100 mi) |
Hydrology
editIn the rainy season, the Boteti discharges to theMakgadikgadi Pans,[1]bringing that area alive with seasonal activity and high biological productivity.[4]In the dry season, the Boteti is particularly important to provide wildlife an area to congregate, since most seasonal ponds and drainages are then devoid of water.[5]
The Boteti flows southeastward[6]out of theThamalakane Riverswamp atToteng,then flows northeastward past Tlkaseoulo, over Ghautsa Falls, and then flows east past the villages ofMakalamabedi,[7]Muekekle, andMatima,and then atKwaraga,it turns south past the villages of Phukumakaku, Khumaga (Lekono), Sukwane, Rakops (Jakops), and Xhuma (Khomo).[2]It then flows past Lake Xau (or in a very wet year into and out of Lake Xau) and then heads east past the village of Mopipi (Madista) and into the Ntwetwe Pan.[2]
The Boteti stretches fromNgamilandto the mainBoteti District,where it is used to fill theMopipiDam, which is important to the manydiamond minesof the area, particularly theOrapa diamond mine.[5][8]The diversion of the river has left many residents without an adequate source offresh water;moreover, they could no longer enjoy fishing and other activities in the river.
History
editIn the early and mid-20th century, the lower Boteti, below Sukwane, was a major grain-producing area, with over 2,000 ha under cultivation until 1980. However, the number and extent of wet years has declined, and the river was channelized belowRakopsto increase flow to the Mopipi Dam.[9]It flowed year-round before the mid-1990s,[1]after which decreasing flows led to seasonal desiccation in some lower reaches.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcHelgren, David M. (1984) "Historical Geomorphology and Geoarchaeology in the Southwestern Makgadikgadi Basin, Botswana"Annals of the Association of American Geographers74(2): pp. 298–307, page 298
- ^abcJohannesburg Sheet 34, Edition 5, TPC, 1970,Series 2201, U.S. Army Map Service
- ^"Profile. Okavango"(PDF).UN.
- ^Hogan, C. Michael (2008)"Makgadikgadi"at Burnham, A. (editor)The Megalithic Portal
- ^abMurphy, Alan; Armstrong, Kate; Firestone, Matthew D.; and Fitzpatrick, Mary (2007)Southern Africa: Join the Safari(4th edition) Lonely Planet, Footscray, Victoria, Australia,page 100,ISBN978-1-74059-745-6
- ^Boteti River(n.d.). InEncyclopædia Britannica online.Retrieved 28 January 2019
- ^Windhoek Sheet 33, Edition 4, TPC, 1969,Series 2201, U.S. Army Map Service
- ^Breyer, J. I. E. (1983) "Soils in the Lower Boteti Region, Central District, Botswana" National Institute for Development Research and Documentation, University of Botswana, Gaborone, page 32,OCLC12600164
- ^Scudder, T. (1993)The IUCN review of the Southern Okavango Integrated Water Development ProjectInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland, Switzerland,page 90,ISBN2-8317-0114-7
