Lunsemfwa River
Encyclopedia
The Lunsemfwa River is a tributary of the Lukasashi
and Luangwa River
s in Zambia
and part of the Zambezi River basin. It is a popular river for fishing
, containing large populations of tigerfish
and bream.
It rises on the south-central African plateau at an elevation of about 1250 m to the north of Mkushi
and just south of the border of Congo Pedicle
, and flows south. It is used to generate hydroelectric power for the Kabwe
mines through the Mita Hills Dam
, built in the 1950s with a reservoir about 30 km long by 3-5 km wide, and another power station at Lunsemfwa Falls.
About 30 km below the dam it enters a remote and inaccessible gorge which it has cut back into the plateau from the edge of the Luangwa Rift Valley into which it flows. Known as the Lunsemfwa Wonder Gorge it is 20 km long, up to 500 m deep and about 1 km wide at the top.
A viewpoint called Bell Point overlooks the confluence of the Lunsemfwa and its tributary the Mkushi River, about 15 km along the gorge, and can be reached on a dirt track.
The Lunsemfwa enters the Luangwa Rift valley about 40 km from its western end, where the valley is about 45 km wide. It flows to the middle of the valley and turns east as a meandering river with oxbow lakes and a floodplain 1-2 km wide. 100 km further on it merges with the Lukusashi coming from the north-east, and the combined river turns south towards the Luangwa River.
Lukasashi River
The Lukasashi River is a tributary of the Luangwa River in Zambia. It flows through important game conservation areas along its course....
and Luangwa River
Luangwa River
The Luangwa River is one of the major tributaries of the Zambezi River, and one of the four biggest rivers of Zambia. The river generally floods in the rainy season and then falls considerably in the dry season...
s in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and part of the Zambezi River basin. It is a popular river for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, containing large populations of tigerfish
Tigerfish
Tigerfish is the common name for a variety of species from several different families of fish, usually on account of their colouration or otherwise fearsome appearance and teeth.- Alestiidae :...
and bream.
It rises on the south-central African plateau at an elevation of about 1250 m to the north of Mkushi
Mkushi
Mkushi is a town in Zambia, lying on the Great North Road and the Tazara railway, north east of Kapiri Mposhi. The Changwena Falls and Fort Elwes lie nearby...
and just south of the border of Congo Pedicle
Congo Pedicle
The Congo Pedicle refers to the southeast salient of the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo which sticks into neighbouring Zambia almost dividing it into two lobes, like the wings of a butterfly. In area the pedicle is similar in size to Wales or New Jersey...
, and flows south. It is used to generate hydroelectric power for the Kabwe
Kabwe
Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province with a population estimated at 210,000. Formerly named Broken Hill, it was founded when the Broken Hill lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also has a claim to being the birthplace of Zambian politics...
mines through the Mita Hills Dam
Mita Hills Dam
Mita Hills Dam is an embankment dam with a hydroelectric power station and man-made lake near Kabwe, Zambia. It was constructed on the Lunsemfwa River by the Anglo American Corporation in the 1950s to supply the Broken Hill Mine at Kabwe....
, built in the 1950s with a reservoir about 30 km long by 3-5 km wide, and another power station at Lunsemfwa Falls.
About 30 km below the dam it enters a remote and inaccessible gorge which it has cut back into the plateau from the edge of the Luangwa Rift Valley into which it flows. Known as the Lunsemfwa Wonder Gorge it is 20 km long, up to 500 m deep and about 1 km wide at the top.
A viewpoint called Bell Point overlooks the confluence of the Lunsemfwa and its tributary the Mkushi River, about 15 km along the gorge, and can be reached on a dirt track.
The Lunsemfwa enters the Luangwa Rift valley about 40 km from its western end, where the valley is about 45 km wide. It flows to the middle of the valley and turns east as a meandering river with oxbow lakes and a floodplain 1-2 km wide. 100 km further on it merges with the Lukusashi coming from the north-east, and the combined river turns south towards the Luangwa River.