Impacts of Okavango Delta Water Management on Regional Atmospheric Dynamics in Southern Africa

This project investigates how water management upstream of the Okavango Delta could influence regional atmospheric dynamics in southern Africa. The innovation lies in its hypothesis: that this massive wetland system not only supports biodiversity but also plays a crucial role in regional rainfall by serving as a localized moisture source in the otherwise arid Kalahari Desert. The project explores direct coupling of hydrology and atmospheric science, leveraging a novel, high-resolution, field-based measurement campaign using paired radiosonde balloon launches to capture moisture and heat flux differences between the Delta and adjacent desert.

With Angola aggressively pursuing water infrastructure developments that threaten the Delta’s flow, this research seeks to uncover potential downwind climatic consequences, an aspect overlooked in current planning. The study aims to produce early empirical evidence necessary for a larger-scale effort incorporating modeling, remote sensing, and scenario planning. The outcomes may directly inform transboundary water management strategies, particularly as regional rainfall shifts could have serious implications for agriculture and rural livelihoods.