OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF MINING ON THE ... - IIED pubs

3.12.6 Implications for water quality and quantity management
The very large population that is now resident in this sub-catchment has considerable implications for overall
water resource and water quality management. The sheer volume of treated sewage effluent and industrial
effluent that is discharged into the Kafue River suggests very strongly that water quality problems will continue
to worsen in the future. The situation is exacerbated by seepage of acid mine drainage from mining operations,
as well as the erosion of particulate material in the form of fines from poorly-sited and badly protected tailings
dams close to the Kafue River.
3.13 The Lower Kafue sub-catchment
3.13.1 General description
3.13.1.1 Hydrology
This sub-catchment covers the Kafue River Floodplain in the Central province of Zambia. During seasonal
floods, the Kafue spills its banks, often reaching 15-20 kilometres in width across the floodplain. Several small
tributaries join the Kafue in this sub-catchment. The Kafue River is dammed at the Itezhitezhi gap and at the
Kafue Gorge; both dams are designed for hydroelectric power generation and supplement the power gained
from the Kariba North hydroelectric power station at the Kariba Dam.
3.13.1.2 Geology
This sub-catchment is underlain predominantly by the Karoo basalts and sandstones overlain by sedimentary
and alluvial deposits.
3.13.1.3 Pedology, agriculture and land use
The soils consist almost entirely of alluvial soils and hydromorphic vertisols, with some well-leached ferralitic
soils in the northern portion of this sub-catchment. The Kafue Floodplain supports the Kafue National Park as
well as two smaller National Parks (Lochinvar and Blue Lagoon). Extensive cultivation of rice and sugar cane
occurs on the floodplains, whilst subsistence agriculture occurs on the richer soils located on floodplain levees
along the riverbanks. The southern portion of this catchment supports a thriving livestock rearing area.
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