LESSON 5

THE DRAINAGE OF EAST AFRICA

RIVERS IN EAST AFRICA

GEOGRAPHY OF EAST AFRICA

Course outline:-
 Practical Geography
 Map reading
 Photograph interpretation
 Fieldwork
 Statistics

 Physical Geography

 Landforms
 Rocks
 Weathering
 Mass wasting
 Glaciation
 Drainage
 Coastal geomorphology
 Vegetation
 Climate
 Soil

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RIVER CAPTURE
This refers to the diversion of a weak river
stream into the course of a strong
river/pirate stream. A powerful river
erodes its valley through head ward and
vertical erosion than the weak
river/captured river.

CONDITIONS THAT FAVOUR RIVER

CAPTURE
 The nature of gradient of the long
profile of the two rivers .the powerful
river should flow on steeper slopes
than its victim increases its erosive
powers.
 The captured river should flow on
gentle slopes with less resistant rocks.
 There should be two rivers flowing
parallel to each other separated by
rocks.ie a powerful river basin with
rivers having differential erosive
abilities where a powerful river and a
less powerful are flowing adjacent to
each other on homogeneous rocks. A

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 more powerful river erodes its bed
faster through head ward erosion and
captures water of another river.
Examples River Nile captured Torchi,
Arocha and Okole Rivers.
 The pirate river must flow at a higher
level than its victim.
 The pirate river must erode head
wards and vertically faster than its
victim when it has high volumes of
water.
 Earth movements where uplift or down
warp occurs along the course of a river
may cause river capture. A river
flowing over a down warped channel
may extend its valley by head ward
erosion and captures the waters of the
adjacent weaker river flowing over an
uplifted channel.eg reverse rivers
Katonga and Rwizi captured the weak
adjacent streams in western Uganda.

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 Differences in rock hardness, a river
flowing over soft rocks deeply cuts its
valley by head ward erosion into the
valley of a the river flowing on soft
rocks deeply cuts its valley by head
ward erosion into the valley of the
river flowing over hard rocks and
captures it.eg river Wasa flowing on
soft rocks captured river Nyaboroga in
Kabarole.
 Rock jointing i.e. the capturing river
flowing over well jointed rocks is able
to deepen its valley when the captured
is on massive rocks.
 River rejuvenation due to changes in
the base level of the base level of the
pirate stream. The rejuvenated river
eroding a long a steeper gradient may
extend its valley into a weaker
adjacent river.
 The climate ie the rainy season
increases the river water volume and

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enhances both vertical and head ward
erosion.

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FEATURES OF RIVER CAPTURE
Elbow of capture; it refers to the
curved bend formed when the capturing
river takes over the waters of a weaker
river stream.
Misfit stream; is a beheaded stream
whose waters have been captured and
reduced in volume.
Wind gap; is the dry valley of a
beheaded stream below the point of
capture. It’s either dry or swampy due to
loss of its waters to the strong river.
Knick point; is a break in the river
course where the new valley profile
changes to the old valley due to river
rejuvenation. At this point, the volume of
water is high and it erodes deeply forming
a knick point.
Knick point water fall; this is formed
where the captured stream flows down
steeply on the knick point.
Over Fit River; is a river which appears
too big for its present valley due to
increased volume of water from the
captured river.

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 Gorge/incised valley is formed due to
under cutting of the pirate river near the
point of capture due to increased water
volume which results into renewed erosion
producing a steep and deep valley.
Examples of river capture include;
Lower Tiva captured upper Tiva in eastern
Kenya formally a tributary of river Galana,
River Aswa captured Agago, Moroto and
Pager rivers in northern Uganda, river
Ruaha captured Palwanga drainage
systems in Tanzania,
River Nile captured the waters of river
Torchi, Okole and Arocha.
Upper Cunene was captured by the lower
Cunene

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RIVER REJUVENATION

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This refers to the revival or renewal of the
erosive powers of a river. It can also be
defined as the process when a river
appears young after the rebirth of the
erosive activity.
Rejuvenation of a river is caused by;
 A fall in sea level changes resulting
from earth movements increase the
velocity of the river flow and hence
gain more powers to erode its valley.
 River capture when part of the rivers
course is diverted into the system of a
near by powerful stream.
 Tectonism involves land uplift and this
happens when the land has been
raised. A river in such an area will be
elevated upwards and increases the
speed/velocity towards its mouth thus
rejuvenation.
 Increase in rain fall from the water
catchment area.

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  Melt water from glaciers increases the
volume of water into a river flowing at
a low rate.
FEATURES DUE TO RIVER
REJUVENATION
Valley in valley; this is a valley which
re-develops from the old existing
valley .The river begins to erode a new
valley with in the former. The widening
of the new valley is relatively swift
because the rejuvenated river is working
in the old river’s sediments and rotten
rocks. As the river increases its erosive
powers vertically, the new valley widens
and the old valley surface is reduced into
terraces.egs of rivers with valley in valley
include;
River Nyando as it crosses the Kano
plains, Ngaila in western Kenya, river Rwizi
in south western Uganda.

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Knick point is a break in the long profile of
a river valley which results from
rejuvenation involving renewed under
cutting of a river valley due to a fall in the
base level. The knick point is formed in
the rivers bed where the new valley
changes to the old valley. Its position is
marked by water falls and rapids.eg along
river mwachi in Kenya, mkomanzi at
usambara ranges.

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 Revision
1. Which of the following features is as a result of extrusive volcanicity?

A. Dyke
B. sill
C. Volcanic plug
D. batholiths

2. The major economic activity which has led to extensive destruction of forests in East
Africa is

A. Mining
B. brick making
C. Agriculture
D. lumbering

3. Which of these mountains in East Africa is a block mountain?

A.Mt.Rwenzori
B. mt.Muhavura
C.Mt. Kenya
D. mt.Kilimanjaro

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4. Which of the following towns is located north of the Equator?

A.Nakuru
B. Masaka
C.Bukoba
D. Kasese

5. Rainfall at a weather station is measured in units called

A.Millibars
B. millimeters
C.Percentages
D. degrees

6. Which of the following volcanoes is found in the rift valley of East Africa?

A. Elgon
B. Moroto
C. Mufumbiro
D. Usambara

7. The forces which pull the earth’s surface away are known as

A. Faulting
B. compressional
C. Tensional
D. separators

8. Which of the following is a lava dammed lake?

A. L.Bunyonyi
B. B. L.Eyasi
C. C. Victoria
D. L. Tanganyika

9. Which of the following is a traditional method of fishing?

A. Trawling
B. Purse seining
C. Gill netting
D. Use of basket

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10. The reason why a Stevenson screen has louvers is to

A. Allow air circulation

B. Reflect sun heat
C. Protect delicate instruments
D. For security purposes

-END-

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