Lake Xau reviewed by Professor Cornelis Vanderpost

In the 1970s, the Boteti river was diverted to bypass Lake Xau and to bring water to Mopipi Dam from where it was pumped to the diamond mine in Orapa. Later, other solutions were found for the water needs of the mine. A few years ago, therefore, the diversion works around Lake Xau were removed and the original flow pattern of the Boteti river restored. Subsequently, the high Okavango floods of 2010 and 2011 pushed the river water into Lake Xau for the first time since the 1970s. Between June 2011 and February 2012, the Lake grew to a considerable size (centre pic).The Boteti river reached Lake Xau by the end of June 2011. By September 2011 Lake Xau was partially filled and continued to fill up and reached a considerable extent by 1st January 2012 as in the MODIS image (top pic).