Akanyaru River is located in the western islands of Rwanda and Burundi, this flows east and north which is along the border between the two countries mentioned joining the Nyabarongo River.
There stretches that contain unprotected wetlands, these are under threat from humans
Akanyaru River is a major headwater, flowing at an elevation of 2,450 meters in Burundi.
The river is a source at 2,300 meters elevation in the south part of Rwanda. The valleys of the higher tributaries are papyrus, containing seasonal swamp forest.
Upstream portion of the river has a catchment area of about 2,650 square kilometers.
The lower course of the river is a permanent wetland which is about 7 kilometers wide which ends where it reaches the Nyabarongo River.
80 Kilometers stretch the river drops from an elevation of 1,465 metres to 1,400 metres.
The swamp is fed from Cyohoha north and Cyhoha south Burundi side of the swamp has 14,600 hectares of permanent swamps, which is along63 kilometers stretching with the swamp which is along 63 kilometers stretching of the river, where the swamp reaches 6 to 10 kilometers up to the valleys of tributaries.
Upstream of the river basin has an average annual rainfall of about 1,200 millimeters.
The annual rainfalls in wetlands are 800 millimeters. Rwanda is inter-tropical convergence zone creating two rainy seasons.
They run through mid-September to mid December and March to May. The climate change increases both in floods and droughts.
FLORA
There number of trees these include Phoenix reclinata, Ficus verruculosa, Bridelia, acacia polyacantha and many more.
FAUNA
The marshland is an area of many birds, great biodiversity with about 60 bird species with wetlands that inhabit in the swamp region.
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Akanyaru river is not protected especially the valley so the land is not flooded its cultivated .The local people always engage in fishing in the river and swamps. Wetlands are used for settlement and agriculture.
During the dry season local people cut and burn March vegetation, hence destroying the habitats.
