Editing Okavango Delta (section)

==Geography==

===Floods===

The Okavango is produced by seasonal flooding. The Okavango River drains the summer (January–February) rainfall from the [[Angola]] highlands and the surge flows {{cvt|1200|km}} in around one month. The waters then spread over the {{cvt|250|by|150|km|adj=on}} area of the delta over the next four months (March–June). 

The high temperature of the delta causes rapid [[transpiration]] and [[evaporation]], resulting in three cycles of rising and falling water levels<ref>{{cite web |author1=C. N. Kurugundla |author2=N. M. Moleele |author3=K.Dikgola |title=Flow Partitioning Within the Okavango Delta –A Pre-requisite for Environmental Flow Assessment for Human Livelihoods and Sustainable Biodiversity Management |url=https://www.water.gov.bw/images/Reports/Okavango_Delta.pdf |publisher=[[University of Botswana]] |pages=8–9 |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831015657/https://www.water.gov.bw/images/Reports/Okavango_Delta.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> that were not fully understood until the early 20th century. The flood peaks between June and August, during [[Botswana]]'s dry winter months, when the delta swells to three times its permanent size, attracting animals from kilometres around and creating one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of [[wildlife]].

The delta is very flat, with less than {{cvt|2|m|ft|0}} variation in height across its {{cvt|15,000|km2}},<ref name=Africa_bespoke/> while the water drops about 60 m from Mohembo to Maun.<ref name=ramsar1996/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wehberg |first1=Jan |title=Okavango Basin - Physicogeographical setting |journal=Biodiversity and Ecology |date=31 December 2013 |volume=5 |pages=11 |doi=10.7809/b-e.00236 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gumbricht |first1=T. |title=The topography of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, and its tectonic and sedimentological implications |journal=South African Journal of Geology |date=1 September 2001 |volume=104 |issue=3 |pages=243–264 |doi=10.2113/1040243|bibcode=2001SAJG..104..243G }}</ref>

===Water flow===

===Lagoons===
[[File:Shinde Lagoon, Okavango Delta, Botswana.jpg|thumb|Shinde Lagoon, seen from the air]]
When the water levels gradually recede, water remains in major canals and river beds, in waterholes and in a number of larger [[lagoon]]s, which then attract increasing numbers of animals. Photo-safari camps and lodges are found near some of these lagoons. Among the larger lagoons are:
*Dombo Hippo Pool ({{coord|19|11|58|S|23|38|25|E}})
*Gcodikwe Lagoon ({{coord|19|10|03|S|23|14|24|E}})
*Guma Lagoon ({{coord|18|57|52|S|22|22|41|E}})
*Jerejere Lagoon/Hippo Pool ({{coord|19|05|17|S|23|01|12|E}})
*Moanachira Lagoon/Sausage Island ({{coord|19|03|23|S|23|03|44|E}})
*Moanachira Lagoon ({{coord|19|03|45|S|23|05|24|E}})
*Shinde Lagoon ({{coord|19|06|18|S|23|09|18|E}})
*Xakanaxa Lagoon ({{coord|19|10|48|S|23|23|42|E}})
*Xhamu Lagoon ({{coord|19|10|03|S|23|16|12|E}})
*Xhobega Lagoon ({{coord|19|10|39|S|23|12|36|E}})
*Xugana Lagoon ({{coord|19|04|12|S|23|06|00|E}})
*Zibadiania Lagoon ({{coord|18|34|12|S|23|32|06|E}})

===Salt islands===
The agglomeration of salt around plant roots leads to barren white patches in the centre of many of the thousands of islands, which have become too salty to support plants, aside from the odd salt-resistant [[Arecaceae|palm tree]]. Trees and grasses grow in the sand around the edges of the islands that have not become too salty yet.

About 70% of the islands began as [[termite]] mounds (often ''[[Macrotermes]]'' spp.), where a tree then takes root on the mound of soil.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nature explored:Moremi/Okavango Delta in August |url=http://www.nature-explored.com/moremi-okavango-august.htm |last=Dunford |first=Chris |access-date=29 May 2020 |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120055602/http://www.nature-explored.com/moremi-okavango-august.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Chief's Island===
Chief's Island ({{coord|19|12|S|22|48|E}}), the largest island in the delta, was formed by a [[fault line]] which uplifted an area over {{cvt|70|km||long|adj=mid}} and {{cvt|15|km||wide|adj=mid}}. Historically, it was reserved as an exclusive hunting area for the chief, but is now a protected area for wildlife. It now provides the core area for much of the resident wildlife when the waters rise.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Okavango delta Botswana {{!}} Mokoro and boating safaris |url=https://okavangosafari.co.bw/ |website=Okavango Safaris |language=en-US |access-date=2020-05-29 |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120055446/https://okavangosafari.co.bw/ |url-status=live }}</ref>