Mambilima Falls

Coordinates: 10°34′33″S 28°40′12″E / 10.575825°S 28.669982°E / -10.575825; 28.669982 Mambilima Falls is a series of rapids on the Luapula River on the boundary between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[1] The falls used to be called the Johnstone Falls. They extend along a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) stretch of the river.^[2]

Below Lake Bangweulu the Luapula is a broad, swamplike system flowing southward that turns west and descends the steep Mambatuta Falls before meandering north to the Mambilima falls, The lush and densely-populated Luapula valley opens out beyond the Mambilima falls into a huge area of marshes, floodpains and lagoons at the southern end of Lake Mweru.^[3] There is an almost continuous stretch of villages from the falls to the lake.^[4] Traditionally, the fishermen near the falls used dams, weirs and traps to catch as many fish as possible before the flood water receded.^[5] The fish of Lake Mweru do not spawn south of the the waterfalls and rapids, where Lake Bangweulu has a distinct ecology.^[6]

References

1. ^ Jul-Larsen 2003, p. 3.
2. ^ McIntyre 2008, p. 361.
3. ^ Jul-Larsen 2003, p. 6.
4. ^ Jul-Larsen 2003, p. 7.
5. ^ Jul-Larsen 2003, p. 167.
6. ^ Tvedt et al. 2006, p. 20.

Sources

• Jul-Larsen, Eyolf (2003). Management, co-management or no management?: major dilemmas in southern African freshwater fisheries. Case studies. Food & Agriculture Org.. ISBN 9251050325. http://books.google.ca/books?id=lMMGAvTxmzAC&pg=PA3. 
• McIntyre, Chris (2008). Zambia: the Bradt travel guide. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 1841622265. http://books.google.ca/books?id=p1DfesuY5HsC&pg=PA361. 
• Tvedt, Terje; Jakobsson, Eva; Coopey, Richard; Oestigaard, Terje (2006). A History of Water: The world of water. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 1850434476. http://books.google.ca/books?id=if5BWWiEhx8C&pg=PA20.