The newest post and image entries are on top of the page. Scroll from the bottom upwards to follow the flow status timelineof the Ruaha River per location
Drainage from Usangu Rice Plain on April 3, 2023 at entrance of Ihefu Swamp. (Bands 8A, 11 & 4). Compare drainage same date one year earlier (right image). Click to EnlargeDrainage on April 3, 2022 clearly less water in floodplains at entrance of Ihefu Swamp. Click to Enlarge
Drainage flow on November 12, 2022
After some two months of zero drainage at the Nyaluhanga – Ihefu Swamp section of the Ruaha River drainage flow has returned on November 12, 2022. Compare the two images below, at the same section of the Ruaha approximately 13km (as the bird flies) downstream of the Nyaluhanga Gauge Station.
Return of Drainage some 13km downstream of the Nyaluhanga Gauge Station on November 12, 2022 in natural color. Compare with image below where the riverbed is exposed on two locations. The width of the image represents some 2km. (Click to enlarge)The same section of the Ruaha River on October 13, 2022 with two stretches of riverbed exposed as result of the zero flow. The submerged sections reflect pools in the river channel. (Click to enlarge)
Zero Drainage September 5, 2022
Seven sections with exposed riverbed during sustained 40 day period of zero drainage on October 13, 2022 in the Ruaha River at the entrance of the Ihefu Swamp (Eastern Wetland)First observed zero drainage in 2022 on September 5.
Usangu Plain Still Drains water in the Ruaha River September 18, 2022
Still some Drainage flow from the Usangu Rice Plain is entering the Ihefu Swamp concluding from the drifting reet fields. Compare the images at the entrance of the Ihefu Swamp of the Ruaha River on September 3, 2022 and the same section on September 18, 2022 below. The circles enclose the reet fields which have moved downstream in the period between 3 to 18 September 2022. In this period thre new reet fields formed in this section of the Ruaha River.
Two weeks later than the image below (September 18, 2022) the reet fields have floated downstream but three new reet fields developed in this period. Indicating that there is still drainage flow. But not adequate to cross the Ihefu swamp and Ng’iriama Sill where the flow has ceased.The sentinel-2 image of September 3, in natural colors shows two reet fields in the Ruaha River close to the entrance of the Iheful Swamp. (click to enlarge)
Nyaluhanga Usangu Drainage, Start Alert 3 on July 30, 2022
The Drainage from the Usangu Rice Plain which results in zero as soon as it drops under a critical value, is monitored at the confluence of the Mbarali River and Ruaha River and downstream at Nyaluhanga gauge station up to the entrance of the Ihefu Swamp. Alert Three starts as soon as the water level drops under approximately 8 cumecs and little time is left to boost the drainage further to delay the start of the zero flow period at the Park HQ.
On July 30, 2022 Alert Three is assessed (RS) to have started with the drop of the discharge at the Nyaluhanga Gauge station or more accurately with the drying of the branch of the Ruaha RiverFlow at confluence Mbarali and Ruaha River ion July 30, 2022.
Low Flow Drainage 2022
Nyaluhanga Gauge Station on July 25, 2022 Some traces of water in branch left compare image of July 30 and July 10, 2022.(click to enlarge)Traces of surface water in the branch of the Ruaha River at Nyaluhanga Gauge Station on July 15, 2022 with estimated flow exceeding 8cumecs.(click to enlarge)Surface water in the branch of the Ruaha River at Nyaluhanga Gauge station clearly visible at the bottom left. The NIR sentinel-2 image with manipulated 5m pixels is from July 10, 2020. (click to enlarge)
