Malawi - Lake Chilwa Wetland

The Lake Chilwa is in the Southern Region of Malawi in districts of Machinga, Phalombe and Zomba. The nearest largest town in Zomba which is about 30Km from Kachulu Habour. The wetland is about 230,000 ha in area with an average altitude of 627 m above sea level. An average rainfall of 1042.9mm per annum for the entire Lake Chilwa catchment was calculated for a thirty year period, i.e. 1961 -1990, by Chavula (1999) with rainy season beginning in November and ending in April. Mean annual temperatures range between 21 -24° C. The lake and is surrounded by marshes and floodplains. This area is about 40 Km across from east to west and km from North to South. At times of high water level, open water cover about 1,500 km'. The respective areas at times of low water level are 648 km', 699 km', 300 km' and 430 km'. The lake is a closed system with several inflowing rivers but no outlet. As such, water in the wetland is lost through evaporation, transpiration and seepage, and the remainder is what constitutes Lake Chilwa at the end dry season.