Umba River (Tanzania)

Last updated
Umba River
Umba OSM.png
Location
Country Tanzania
County Tanga Region
District Mkinga
Country Kenya
Region Kwale County
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location Usambara Mountains, Lushoto , Tanga Region of Tanzania
  elevation2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Mouth  
  location
at Mayomboni in the Pemba Channel, Tanzania
  coordinates
4°40′50″S39°12′48″E / 4.68056°S 39.21333°E / -4.68056; 39.21333
  elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Basin size7,130 km2 (2,750 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftMglumi; Bombo
  rightMbalamu

The Umba River (Mto Umba, in Swahili) is located in northeastern Tanzania in Lushoto and Mkinga Districts of Tanga Region. It rises in Schageiuforest (Shagayu) in the West Usambara Mountains of Lushoto at 2,000 m altitude and flows on the north side of the mountain range to the east. [1] At Lelwa it empties the Mbalamu River, which comes from the extreme north of the Usambara Mountains, and the Mglumi River into the Umba. Just before the Umba flows into the Indian Ocean, it crosses the border to Kenya. The mouth itself marks the most eastern point on the border between Tanzania and Kenya, which was largely made in a straight line to the northwest towards Lake Victoria in the 19th Century. On the upper reaches of the river in the mid-1960s rich deposits of precious stones, including sapphires and spessartine, were discovered. Also on the river is the Umba River Game Reserve, a wildlife reserve that includes along with the Mkomazi Game Reserve, about 2,600 km².

Contents

Hydrometry

The flow of the river has been observed over 40 years (1963-2003) in Mbuta, a town about 40 km above the mouth.

The average monthly flow of the river Umba hydrological station of Mbuta (in m³ / s ) (calculated using the data for a period of 30 years, 1954–84) [2]

Umba River (Tanzania)

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References

  1. "Deutsches Koloniallexikon 1920, SCHNEE, H.(Buchstabe: Umba)".
  2. "Unknown" (PDF).[ permanent dead link ]

See also