Khumib

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Khumib
Region around the Khumib

Region around the Khumib

Data
location Namibia
River system Khumib
source northeast of Orupembe
muzzle at Sarusas in the Atlantic Coordinates: 18 ° 52 ′ 19 ″  S , 12 ° 25 ′ 13 ″  E 18 ° 52 ′ 19 ″  S , 12 ° 25 ′ 13 ″  E

length 80 km
Catchment area 2,308.393 km²

The Khumib is the northernmost and smallest of the dry rivers in western Namibia . It has its origin northeast of Orupembe and flows into the Atlantic after only 80 kilometers near Sarusas .

Hydrology

The catchment area of ​​the Khumib covers only 2308.393  km² and is located in a very remote and dry region of the northern Kaokoveld . The precipitation is very sporadic, the amount of precipitation varies from 0 to a maximum of 25 mm / a. Nevertheless, of the smaller western dry rivers, the Khumib has the strongest and most regular flow. Large remains of driftwood along the course of the river are evidence of this. In the lower reaches of Sarusas there are some springs and small wetlands .

Vegetation and fauna

Due to the high aridity of the catchment area, the vegetation in the catchment area is limited to Mopane savannah , which makes up 77% of the catchment area. 23% of the catchment area is devoid of vegetation and falls in the northern Namib . The gallery vegetation is also significantly less compared to that of the other areas. Leadwood ( Combretum imberbe ) and Mopane ( Colophospermum mopane ) predominate , but Salvadora and Euclea can also be found. The vegetation, albeit sparse, and the springs in the lower reaches are of essential importance for nomadic game in the Namib.

Use and settlement

93% of the catchment area is communal land , 7% is accounted for by the Skeleton Coast National Park . Because of the high aridity , agricultural use is limited to moving pasture farming in the upper catchment area and along the river valley. The population is less than 100, mainly Himba live here .

Occasionally, the Khumibunterlauf is also the destination of day trips by luxury individual tourists.

literature

  • Mary Seely, Kathryn M. Jacobson, Peter J. Jacobson: Ephemeral Rivers and Their Catchments - Sustaining People and Development in Western Namibia . Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, 1995, ISBN 978-99916-709-4-2 .
  • Klaus Hüser, Helga Besler, Wolf Dieter Blümel, Klaus Heine, Hartmut Leser, Uwe Rust : Namibia - A Landscape Studies in Pictures . Klaus Hess, Göttingen / Windhoek 2001, ISBN 978-3-933117-14-4 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Mapping the Major Cathments of Namibia. Ben Ben J. Strohbach, National Botanical Research Institute, pp. 5-6.