30 / 148
16
Water Resources
Luangwa and Luena flats cover an area greater
than 2.6 million hectares (SADC and ZRA
2007). These wetlands are used for fisheries,
agriculture, wildlife management, and
transportation services.

The variations in flooding in areas such as the
Zambezi floodplains, East Caprivi wetlands,
Kafue Flats and Muzarabani district create the
soils used to support the intensive agriculture
that sustains communities living near them.
Water resources are essential for the social
and economic development of the basin’s
society, supporting industry, domestic water
use, hydropower generation, irrigation,
transportation and recreation.
Wetlands
Wetlands cover a large area of the Zambezi
River Basin. For example, in Zambia the Kafue
Flats, Lukanga swamps, Barotse flood plains,
Nyambomba swamps, Cuando, Busanga,
Figure 1.5
Zambezi
Floodplains
Kafue Flats
Lukanga
Swamps
Luangwa
Floodplains
L
u
n
g
u
e
B
u
n
g
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
C
u
a
n
d
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
K
a
b
o
m
p
o
L
u
a
n
g
w
a
M
a
z
o
e
S
h
i
r
e
S
h
a
n
g
a
n
i
K
a
f
u
e
Zambezi River Basin wetlands
Wetland type
Freshwater marsh
Impondment
RAMSAR site
Sources: Denconsult 1998. ZACPLAN Sector Studies: Introductory Volume.
Final Report. Southern African Development Community and Zambezi River
Authority, Lusaka; Wetlands International 2011. Ramsar Sites Information
Service. Accessed on 22 November 2011 from
www.ramsar.orgNAMIBIA
ANGOLA
BOTSWANA
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
MOZAMBIQUE
TANZANIA
MALAWI
Zambezi
Floodplains
Kafue Flats
Lukanga
Swamps
Luangwa
Floodplains
L
u
n
g
u
e
B
u
n
g
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
C
u
a
n
d
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
K
a
b
o
m
p
o
L
u
a
n
g
w
a
M
a
z
o
e
S
h
i
r
e
S
h
a
n
g
a
n
i
K
a
f
u
e
Zambezi River Basin wetlands
Wetland type
Freshwater marsh
Impondment
RAMSAR site
Sources: Denconsult 1998. ZACPLAN Sector St
udies: Introductory Volume.
Final Report. Southern African Development Community and Zambezi River
Authority, Lusaka; Wetlands International 2011. Ramsar Sites Information
Service. Accessed on 22 November 2011 from
www.ramsar.orgNAMIBIA
ANGOLA
BOTSWANA
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
MOZAMBIQUE
TANZANIA
MALAWI
© ARA Zambeze