River Rwizi

River Rwizi is a river located in South Western Uganda in district called Mbarara.

River Rwizi
Waste in River Rwizi
Rivers in South West Uganda with the Ruizi (lower left center).
Location
CountryUganda
Physical characteristics
SourceBuhweju hills
Mouth 
 • location
To Lake Victoria via the drainage systems of Lake Mburo, Lake Kachera and Kijanebalola.
 • coordinates
0°41′33″S 30°54′20″E
 • elevation
1,258 m (4,127 ft)
Basin size2,282 km2 (881 sq mi)[1]
Discharge 
 • locationMbarara[2]
 • average25.4 m3/s (900 cu ft/s)
 • minimum16.5 m3/s (580 cu ft/s)
 • maximum35.7 m3/s (1,260 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionLake Victoria—White Nile—Nile—Mediterranean Sea
River systemNile basin

Overview

It originates from Buhweju hills with various tributaries from various Nkore hills including Ntungamo and Sheema hills which join it. It pours its water in Lake Victoria via the drainage systems of Lake Mburo, Lake Kachera and Kijanebalola.[3]

River Rwizi supplies water for both domestic and industrial use to the whole Mbarara town and the neighbouring towns of Bwizibwera, Sanga and Biharwe.

The river is drying out due to climate changes affecting the region and other causes like

The water hyacinth which is also an inductor of polluted water with a lot of nutrients with in it

The river destruction is also due to wide spread of land grabbing along the river banks

A lot of untreated wastes are dumped into the river thus leading to contribution of pollution of water forex maple waste products from iron and steel industry in kakoba and Mbarara mainly hospital

Points of interest

There are some economic activities carried along and within river Rrwizi by the people surrounding it

FARMING

people around river Rwizi have started to encroach the wetlands to practice crop growing due to its fertile land that has increased the yields and live stock farming

Brick making

people are using sand from the river to make bricks for sell and building houses

Harvest of papyrus

people are get papyrus for making mats ,baskets, chairs and ropes to earn a living

fishing

people have practice fishing within the river that is harvested fish for food and selling in markets too

  • Rwizi Water falls in Katete, Mbarara.
  • Katete Beach.
  • Ngaro Mwenda Bridge in Mbarara 3 km off Kabale Road.
  • Rwizi Meanders near Mbarara University.

References
  1. Trace metal concentrations in the abiotic and biotic components of River Rwizi ecosystem in western Uganda, and the risks to human health
  2. Vörösmarty, Charles J; Fekete, B M; Tucker, B A (1998): Global River Discharge, 1807-1991, V. 1.1 (RivDIS). Data set. Available on-line [https://daac.ornl.gov/ from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. (via PANGAEA)]
  3. "Overview of River Rwizi". Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

Sources


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