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Kasai River

Coordinates: 10°57′37″S 19°18′56″E / 10.96028°S 19.31556°E / -10.96028; 19.31556
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Indian river also known as Kasai, see Kangsabati River.
Kasai River
Kasai River watershed (Interactive map)
Map
Location
Countries
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationBié Plateau
 • coordinates11°34′59″S 19°01′26″E / 11.583°S 19.024°E / -11.583; 19.024
 • elevation1,300 m (4,300 ft)[1]
MouthCongo River
 • location
Kwamouth, DRC
 • coordinates
3°10′55″S 16°11′02″E / 3.182°S 16.184°E / -3.182; 16.184
 • elevation
272 m (892 ft)[1]
Length2,272 km (1,412 mi)[1]
Basin size884,376 km2 (341,459 sq mi)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationLediba
 • average(Period: 1922–2014)10,457 m3/s (330.0 km3/a)[5]
Discharge 
 • locationKutu-Moke
 • average(Period: 1948–2012)8,070 m3/s (285,000 cu ft/s)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationIlebo
 • average(1950–1959)2,240 m3/s (79,000 cu ft/s)[3]
Basin features
ProgressionKasai → Congo → Atlantic Ocean
River systemCongo River
Tributaries 
 • leftLuembe, Longatshimo, Tshikapa, Lovua, Loange, Lubue, Piopio, Kamtsha, Kwango, Buma
 • rightMunyango, Luau, Kasangeshi, Lueta, Lulua, Lutshuadi, Sankuru, Fimi
Stanley's route is depicted by the solid black line.

The Kasai River (Swahili: Mto Kasai, French: Kasaï [ka.sa.i]; called Cassai in Angola) is a left bank tributary of the Congo River, located in Central Africa.[6] The river begins in central Angola and flows to the east until it reaches the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it turns north and serves as the border until it flows into the DRC. From Ilebo, between the confluences with Lulua river and Sankuru river, the Kasai river turns to a westerly direction. The lower stretch of the river, from the confluence with Fimi river until it joins the Congo at Kwamouth northeast of Kinshasa, is also known as the Kwa(h) River.

The Kasai basin consists mainly of equatorial rainforest areas, which provide an agricultural land in a region noted for its infertile, sandy soil.[6] It is a tributary of Congo river and diamonds are found in it. Around 60% of diamonds in Belgium go from Kasai river for cutting and shaping.

Discharge

[edit]
Kasai River multiannual average discharge at Lediba gauging station[3][2][5]
Period Average discharge (m3/s)
2012–2016
9,000
1948–2012
10,457
1950–1959
11,318
Kasai River multiannual average discharge at Kutu-Moke gauging station[3][4]
Period Average discharge (m3/s)
1948–2012
8,070
1950–1959
8,790
Kasai River multiannual average discharge at Ilebo gauging station[3][4]
Period Average discharge (m3/s)
1948–2012
2,079
1950–1959
2,240
Water discharge of the Kasai River at the Lediba (3°3′25.4556″S 16°32′55.0644″E / 3.057071000°S 16.548629000°E / -3.057071000; 16.548629000) and Kutu-Moke (3°12′33.0516″S 17°20′42.4032″E / 3.209181000°S 17.345112000°E / -3.209181000; 17.345112000) gauging station.
Year Lediba Kutu-

Moke

Average discharge

(m³/s)

2016 9,350
2015 8,090
2014 9,040
2013 9,520
2012 8,870 6,800
2011 7,940 6,093
2010 7,320 5,614
2009 8,820 6,764
2008 10,400 7,976
2007 13,180 10,110
2006 10,740 8,236
2005 9,017 6,917
2004 8,130 6,235
2003 11,520 8,837
2002 11,150 8,552
2001 9,290 7,125
2000 8,310 6,496
1999 7,030 5,463
1998 7,010 5,480
1997 9,800 7,659
1996 8,950 7,000
1995 7,620 5,960
1994 7,430 5,810
1993 8,580 6,705
1992 7,790 6,089
1991 10,410 8,136
1990 11,150 8,717
1989 12,810 9,988
1988 11,450 8,953
1987 11,120 8,694
1986 9,980 7,804
1985 9,550 7,463
1984 8,800 6,879
1983 10,340 8,084
1982 10,100 7,897
1981 9,500 7,427
1980 9,230 7,213
1979 11,710 9,153
1978 10,730 8,385
1977 12,450 9,731
1976 11,760 9,194
1975 10,720 8,383
1974 10,080 7,878
1973 9,970 7,796
1972 10,540 8,236
1971 11,360 8,880
1970 12,040 9,232
1969 13,020 9,986
1968 13,100 10,050
1967 11,510 8,832
1966 12,340 9,466
1965 10,970 8,417
1964 11,950 9,167
1963 11,960 9,173
1962 13,510 10,360
1961 12,440 9,543
1960 11,430 8,764
1959 9,960 7,638
1958 9,850 7,552
1957 11,810 9,060
1956 11,580 8,882
1955 11,360 8,717
1954 11,390 8,735
1953 10,220 7,837
1952 10,490 8,646
1951 11,260 8,640
1950 11,240 8,619
1949 11,560 8,870
1948 11,360 8,716
Notes:

Average minimum and maximum discharge: Lediba 5,000–20,000 m³/s (1932–1959), Kutu-Moke 4,400–11,600 m³/s (1932–1959)

Source:[4][7]

Exploration

[edit]

Henry Morton Stanley reached the confluence on 9 March 1877, calling the river Nkutu, a "powerful and deep river", but recognizing it as originating from David Livingstone's Kwango.[8]: Vol.Two, 252 

Tributaries

[edit]

The Kasai's main tributaries upstream from the confluence with the Congo:[1]

  • Fimi (right – Fimi with Lukenie 1,120 km)
  • Kwilu–Kwango (left – 1,702 km)
  • Loange (left – 865 km)
  • Sankuru (right – Sankuru–Lubilanji 1,280 km)
  • Lulua (right – 1,184 km)
  • Tshikapa (left – 630 km)
  • Longatshimo (left – 550 km)
  • Luembe (left – 780 km)
  • Lueta (right – 395 km)
The main tributaries from the mouth:
Left tributary Right tributary Length (km) Basin size (km2) Average discharge (m3/s)*
Kwa–Kasai 2,272 894,486.6 10,457.3
Kwa
Mbala 57.5 1,100.1 14.9
Fimi ¹ 1,120 136,174.7 2,252.9
Lower Kasai
Lekulu 57.5 793.5 9.3
Buma 138 3,354.7 42.3
Kwango 1,702 270,904.3 3,317.4
Kamtsha 250 8,887.4 106.4
Piopio 165 3,169.1 34.8
Liau 1,231.6 14.4
Lubue 227 8,611.7 103.5
Loange 865 41,799.5 489.1
Middle Kasai
Lumbudji 137 2,876.8 25.4
Lubudi 153 1,999.2 17
Sankuru ² 1,280 149,479.5 1,738.1
Lutshuadi 177 4,596.5 39.2
Lulua 1,184 70,612.5 798
Upper Kasai
Yeye 47 1,379.3 8.9
Kabambaie 77 2,083.7 10.8
Lovua 297 8,262.4 73.9
Tshikapa 630 19,512.1 179.5
Longatshimo 550 19,847.3 198.5
Luenda 69 1,791.4 10.1
Luembe 780 46,648.8 453.4
Lueta (Kaungej) 395 13,000.1 87.6
Kasangeshi 206 3,610.2 22.1
Luele 1,173.3 7.9
Dembo 87 1,924.8 13.1
Luau 105 4,294.4 38.5
Lualo 1,532.8 14.6
Lutshima 166 1,616.6 11.5
Munyango 3,133.1 20.9
Notes:

* Period: 1948–2012; ¹ Fimi–Lukenie;

² Sankuru–Lubulanji;

Source:[9][1]

Economic importance

[edit]

The tributaries of River Kasai are clear of obstacles like cataracts and river weed, making them very navigable. They facilitate the transport sector and form an important trade artery. The river's role in transport and trade was more prominent during the pre-colonial period when the slave trade was legal. Slave traders used one of its major tributaries, the Kwango River, to navigate the equatorial rain forest, capture slaves and find their way back to the Atlantic Ocean where they had docked their ships. It is greatly controversial that some of the local kingdoms that were along the Kasai River supported the slave trade. The Rund kingdom for instance, readily provided slaves for the most notorious slave traders like John Matthews, a renowned British slave vendor. These activities, though they occurred between the 18th and 19th centuries, left a lasting impact in the regions where they were most prominent, such as between the Kwango and the Kwilu rivers. The population has never recovered fully, with the population density lower than that of areas that did not experience the slave trade. The most probable trigger to British and Portuguese great interests in the Kasai River was the presence of alluvial diamonds lying in rich deposit beds, especially at the river's mouth. More deposits lie along the beds of a major tributary, the Kwango River. In fact, it is common to hear the phrase “the diamond heartland of North Eastern Angola” used in reference to the Kwango River valley. This is because the diamond alluvial beds found in this region are the richest in Angola.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Le bassin du Congo".
  2. ^ a b Becker, M.; Papa, F.; Frappart, F.; Alsdorf, D.; Calmant, S.; Da Silva, J. Santos; Prigent, C.; Seyler, F. (2018). "Satellite-based estimates of surface water dynamics in the Congo River Basin". International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 66: 196–209. doi:10.1016/j.jag.2017.11.015. Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  3. ^ a b c d Zaire (PDF) (Report). BGS, British Geological Survey.
  4. ^ a b c d Laraque, Alain; Moukandi N’kaya, Guy D. (2020). "Recent Budget of Hydroclimatology and Hydrosedimentology of the Congo River in Central Africa". Water. 12 (9): 2613. doi:10.3390/w12092613.
  5. ^ a b Dr. Raphael, M. Tshimanga (2019). "Centre de Recherche en Ressources en Eau du Bassin du Congo".
  6. ^ a b Broadhead, Susan (1992). Historical dictionary of Angola. Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press. p. 99. ISBN 0585070091.
  7. ^ Sly, Wongchuig; Benjamin, Kitambo; Fabrice, Papa; Adrien, Paris; Ayan Santos, Fleischmann; Laetitia, Gal; Julien, Boucharel; Rodrigo, Paiva; Romulo Jucá, Oliveira; Raphael M., Tshimanga; Stéphane, Calmant (2023). "Improved modeling of Congo's hydrology for floods and droughts analysis and ENSO teleconnections" (PDF). Regional Studies: 21. doi:10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101563.
  8. ^ Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, Vol. One ISBN 0486256677, Vol. Two ISBN 0486256685
  9. ^ Eric, Tilman. "Congo River".
[edit]

10°57′37″S 19°18′56″E / 10.96028°S 19.31556°E / -10.96028; 19.31556

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