Floods and Droughts in the Middle Zambezi River Basin

Saneliso V. Makhanya, Master of Science in Integrated Water Resources Management with a major in Hydrology. Studied at the University of Zimbabwe and Specialised at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Progamme Manager at Samaritans Purse, Mbabane, Swaziland.

The Middle Zambezi Valley has undergone profound hydrological and social changes over the past century for which limited pre-impact studies are available. Floods and droughts have become more frequent in recent years and the poor living in this area are the most vulnerable when either event strikes. The question that comes about is whether the occurence of these extreme hydrological events is a natural cause or human induced as hydrological processes of this area are largely influenced by reservoir operations in the two instream Lakes; Kariba and Cahora Bassa. This book, therefore, sought to isolate and make conclusions as to whether the hydrological extreme events are natural or human induced. People who wish to carry out hydrological studies within the Middle Zambezi River Basin will also find this book usefull since it incorporates both rainfall and runoff analysis including the influence of each sub-basin of the middle Zambezi in the occurence of floods and droughts. Anyone who wish to understand the hydrological processes of the Middle Zambezi River basin will find this book handy.