Boteti River

{{Short description|Natural watercourse in Botswana}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox river | name = Boteti River | native_name = | name_other = Botletle, Botletli | name_etymology =  | image = Boteti River, Botswana.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = The Boteti River | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption=  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Botswana | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = Okavango Delta | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length_km = 1700 | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max =  | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = | mouth = Sua Pan | mouth_location = Botswana | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}

The '''Boteti River''' (also spelt as '''Botletle'''<ref name="Helgren-298">Helgren, David M. (1984) "Historical Geomorphology and Geoarchaeology in the Southwestern Makgadikgadi Basin, Botswana" ''Annals of the Association of American Geographers'' 74(2): pp. 298–307, page 298</ref><ref name="Johannesburg-Sheet">[http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/africa/txu-oclc-6589746-sheet34-5th-ed.jpg Johannesburg Sheet 34, Edition 5, TPC, 1970], Series 2201, U.S. Army Map Service</ref> or '''Botletli''')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/okavango.pdf|title=Profile. Okavango|website=UN}}</ref> is a natural watercourse in Botswana of 1700{{nbsp}}km in length. It derives flow from the core Okavango Delta through the Thamalakane River in Maun.

==Hydrology== In the rainy season, the Boteti discharges to the Makgadikgadi Pans,<ref name="Helgren-298"/> bringing that area alive with seasonal activity and high biological productivity.<ref name="Hogan">Hogan, C. Michael (2008) [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=22373&mode=&order=0 "Makgadikgadi"] at Burnham, A. (editor) ''The Megalithic Portal''</ref> In the dry season, the Boteti is particularly important to provide wildlife an area to congregate, since most seasonal ponds and drainages are then devoid of water.<ref name="Murphy-100">{{Cite book |last=Murphy |first=Alan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AijmBeQ9_r8C&pg=PA100 |title=Lonely Planet Southern Africa |last2=Armstrong |first2=Kate |last3=Firestone |first3=Matthew D. |last4=Fitzpatrick |first4=Mary |date=2007 |publisher=Lonely Planet Publications |isbn=978-1-74059-745-6 |page=100 |language=en}}</ref>

The Boteti flows southeastward<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/place/Boteti-River Boteti River] (n.d.). In ''Encyclopædia Britannica online''. Retrieved 28 January 2019</ref> out of the Thamalakane River swamp at Toteng, then flows northeastward past Tlkaseoulo, over Ghautsa Falls, and then flows east past the villages of Makalamabedi,<ref>[http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/africa/txu-oclc-6589746-sheet33-4th-ed.jpg Windhoek Sheet 33, Edition 4, TPC, 1969], Series 2201, U.S. Army Map Service</ref> Muekekle, and Matima, and then at Kwaraga, it turns south past the villages of Phukumakaku, Khumaga (Lekono), Sukwane, Rakops (Jakops), and Xhuma (Khomo).<ref name="Johannesburg-Sheet"/> It then flows past Lake Xau (or in a very wet year into and out of Lake Xau) and then heads east past the village of Mopipi (Madista) and into the Ntwetwe Pan.<ref name="Johannesburg-Sheet"/>

The Boteti stretches from Ngamiland to the main Boteti District, where it is used to fill the Mopipi Dam, which is important to the many diamond mines of the area, particularly the Orapa diamond mine.<ref name="Murphy-100"/><ref name="Breyer">Breyer, J. I. E. (1983) "Soils in the Lower Boteti Region, Central District, Botswana" National Institute for Development Research and Documentation, University of Botswana, Gaborone, page 32, {{OCLC|12600164}}</ref> The diversion of the river has left many residents without an adequate source of fresh water; moreover, they could no longer enjoy fishing and other activities in the river.

==History== In the early and mid-20th century, the lower Boteti, below Sukwane, was a major grain-producing area, with over 2,000{{nbsp}}ha under cultivation until 1980. However, the number and extent of wet years has declined, and the river was channelised below Rakops to increase flow to the Mopipi Dam.<ref name="Scudder">{{Cite book |last=Scudder |first=T. |title=The IUCN review of the Southern Okavango Integrated Water Development Project |date=1993 |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) |isbn=978-2-8317-0114-1 |series=The IUCN Wetlands Programme |location=Gland, Switzerland |page=90}}</ref> It flowed year-round before the mid-1990s,<ref name="Helgren-298"/> after which decreasing flows led to seasonal desiccation in some lower reaches.

==See also== * Nxai Pan * Nata River * Sua Pan * Nwetwe Pan

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Rivers of Botswana