![Show Menu](styles/mobile-menu.png)
![Page Background](./../common/page-substrates/page0028.jpg)
14
Lake Cahora Bassa has a storage capacity of about 63 000 million cu m upon completion of the dam. The lake started filling in December 1974.
The inundation flooded a large area, and had caused a significant change to the surronding habitat. This almost resulted in the disappearance
species. Examples include the invasion of pines
and wattle trees into the montane grasslands of
Mt. Mulanje, the introduction of the Nile tilapia
fish (
Oreochromis niloticus
) to the waters of the
Middle Zambezi, and Kariba weed (
Salvinia
molesta
) into the Chobe system and Lake Kariba
(Timberlake 2000). Probably the greatest impact
on biodiversity in the basin was due to dam
construction. The Kariba, Cahora Bassa, Itezhi-Tezhi
and Kafue dams (constructed from 1950 to 1970)
changed hydrology, modified flooding cycles,
and affected habitat and species composition.
immediate surroundings. There is no marked dry
season, temperatures do not fluctuate greatly,
and habitats include dry forests and grasslands.
Most species found here are widespread along
the East African Coast from Somalia to northern
Kwazulu–Natal in South Africa.
Threats to Biodiversity
There are numerous threats to the basin’s
biodiversity, including land clearance for
agriculture and expansion of human settlement,
dam construction, fires, and invasion by alien
Cahora Bassa is the second
largest artificial lake in the
Zambezi basin, after Kariba.
© Antonio Klaus Kaarsberg
© Antonio Klaus Kaarsberg