Ruvuma River
Encyclopedia
Ruvuma River, formerly also known as the Rovuma River, is a river in East Africa
, forming during the greater part of its course the border
between Tanzania
and Mozambique
(in Mozambique known as Rio Rovuma). It is 800 kilometres (497 mi) long, with a drainage basin
155500 square kilometres (60,038.9 sq mi) in size. Its mean annual discharge
is 475 m³/s (16,774 cfs) at its mouth.
In its eastward course the Ruvuma flows near the base of the escarpment of an arid sandstone
plateau
to the north, from which direction the streams, which have cut themselves deep channels in the plateau edge, have almost all short courses.
On the opposite bank the Ruvuma receives, besides the Lujenda, the Msinje River and Luchulingo River, flowing in broad valleys running from south to north. The Lujenda rises in proximity to Lake Chilwa
, in the small Lake Chiuta
(1,700 ft), the swamp
s to the south of this being separated from Chilwa only by a narrow wooded ridge. The stream which issues from Chiuta passes by a swampy valley into the narrow Lake Amaramba, from which the Lujenda River finally issues as a stream 80 yards wide.
Lower down it varies greatly in width, containing in many parts long wooded island
s which rise above the flood
level, and are often inhabited. The river is fordable in many places in the dry season
. At its mouth it is about a mile wide.
The lower Ruvuma, which is often half a mile wide but generally shallow, flows through a swampy valley flanked by plateau escarpments containing several small backwater
s of the river. The mouth is near 10° 28' S., 40° 30' E., the boundary near the coast being formed by the parallel of 10° 40'. The length of the Ruvuma is about 500 miles (804.7 km).
across the river between Mozambique and Tanzania was proposed as early as 1975, and although costruction was started, the project was abandoned due to lack of funds. In 2002 the two national governments made a formal agreement to build a new 600 meter bridge across the river, and this was finally opened in a ceremony on 25 May 2010. The bridge is located at Negomano, 200 km inland and 100 km from the nearest surfaced road in Mozambique. The site was agreed between Presidents Machel and Nyerere because this was the site of the first entry into Mozambique by Frelimo forces in the Mozambican War of Independence
on 25 September 1964. Negomano was also the location where the German forces crossed the Rovuma river on 25 November 1917 . First foundation stones were laid on the Tanzanian and Mozambique sides on October 10th 2005. Construction was completed early 2010 and cost USD $28 million. It used to be possible to cross the river with rafts (located at the Tanzanian side) that could carry 3 jeeps. The ferry sank in 2008 and has not been replaced. At low water the river is sometimes fordable with a good 4 wheel drive.
A smaller bridge called Unity Two was also completed in 2007 on the upper Rovuma close to Matchedge in Niassa province.
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, forming during the greater part of its course the border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
between Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
(in Mozambique known as Rio Rovuma). It is 800 kilometres (497 mi) long, with a drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
155500 square kilometres (60,038.9 sq mi) in size. Its mean annual discharge
Discharge (hydrology)
In hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
is 475 m³/s (16,774 cfs) at its mouth.
Overview
The lower Ruvuma is formed by the junction in 11° 25' S., 38° 31' E. of two branches of nearly equal importance, the longer of which, the Lujenda, comes from the south-west, the other, which still bears the name Ruvuma, from the west. Its source lies on an undulating plateau, 3000 ft (914.4 m). high, immediately to the east of Lake Nyasa, in 10° 45' S., 35° 40' E., the head-stream flowing first due west before turning south and east.In its eastward course the Ruvuma flows near the base of the escarpment of an arid sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
to the north, from which direction the streams, which have cut themselves deep channels in the plateau edge, have almost all short courses.
On the opposite bank the Ruvuma receives, besides the Lujenda, the Msinje River and Luchulingo River, flowing in broad valleys running from south to north. The Lujenda rises in proximity to Lake Chilwa
Lake Chilwa
Lake Chilwa is the second-largest lake in Malawi after Lake Malawi. It is in eastern Zomba District, near the border with Mozambique. Approximately 60 km long and 40 km wide, the lake is surrounded by extensive wetlands....
, in the small Lake Chiuta
Lake Chiuta
Lake Chiuta is a shallow lake on the border between Malawi and Mozambique. It lies to the north of Lake Chilwa and to the south of Lake Amaramba, which has no outlet, and the lakes are separated by a sandy ridge...
(1,700 ft), the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s to the south of this being separated from Chilwa only by a narrow wooded ridge. The stream which issues from Chiuta passes by a swampy valley into the narrow Lake Amaramba, from which the Lujenda River finally issues as a stream 80 yards wide.
Lower down it varies greatly in width, containing in many parts long wooded island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s which rise above the flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
level, and are often inhabited. The river is fordable in many places in the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. At its mouth it is about a mile wide.
The lower Ruvuma, which is often half a mile wide but generally shallow, flows through a swampy valley flanked by plateau escarpments containing several small backwater
Backwater
Backwater or Backwaters may refer to:* Backwater , water in a main river which is backed up by an obstruction such as the tide or a dam, or a branch of a main river which runs alongside it before rejoining it...
s of the river. The mouth is near 10° 28' S., 40° 30' E., the boundary near the coast being formed by the parallel of 10° 40'. The length of the Ruvuma is about 500 miles (804.7 km).
Bridge
A bridge called Unity BridgeUnity Bridge
The Unity Bridge across Ruvuma River at Negomano, Mozambique, between Tanzania and Mozambique was proposed as early as 1975, shortly after Mozambique's independence....
across the river between Mozambique and Tanzania was proposed as early as 1975, and although costruction was started, the project was abandoned due to lack of funds. In 2002 the two national governments made a formal agreement to build a new 600 meter bridge across the river, and this was finally opened in a ceremony on 25 May 2010. The bridge is located at Negomano, 200 km inland and 100 km from the nearest surfaced road in Mozambique. The site was agreed between Presidents Machel and Nyerere because this was the site of the first entry into Mozambique by Frelimo forces in the Mozambican War of Independence
Mozambican War of Independence
The Mozambican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front or FRELIMO , and Portugal...
on 25 September 1964. Negomano was also the location where the German forces crossed the Rovuma river on 25 November 1917 . First foundation stones were laid on the Tanzanian and Mozambique sides on October 10th 2005. Construction was completed early 2010 and cost USD $28 million. It used to be possible to cross the river with rafts (located at the Tanzanian side) that could carry 3 jeeps. The ferry sank in 2008 and has not been replaced. At low water the river is sometimes fordable with a good 4 wheel drive.
A smaller bridge called Unity Two was also completed in 2007 on the upper Rovuma close to Matchedge in Niassa province.