Kaliba River

Ingwane Falls, where the Kaliba becomes one of Sabrim's largest waterfalls.

A map of the Kaliba River, flowing into Amanzigutu Lagoon and the Sea of Light.

The **Kaliba River** is a freshwater river in eastern Sabrim. It flows from the mountains to the south of gwaTshani, with its headwaters at Ndjondjona Springs, towards the Sea of Light in the east.

## Physical Features

The major contributor of the Kaliba is Ndjondjona Springs, located high in the mountains; it is here that the humid equatorial climate brings rain, which runs down the mountains into the river and replenishes the aquifer from which the spring draws, year after year. The river also has a small tributary as it transitions from the jungle to the badlands of the guYakhatuhlu Mountains, however this creek's name has been lost to history. Euphorbia Creek is another tributary located within the badlands, and it draws its name from the cactus-like succulent *Euphorbia quadrilateralis,* a common plant in the area.

As the river flows through the guYakhatuhlu badlands, it intersects with several seasonal wadis and canyons. For most of the year these features are barren and dry, but during the brief rains these areas conduct water flow from the cliffs and hills down into the river, further bolstering its volume. The rainwater also erodes much of the mudstone, shale, and sandstone layers that make up the various colored rock layers that grant the mountain rage its name (guYakhatuhlu is isiTshani for "colored"). These aforementioned sedimentary rocks helped give the Kalibic period of Sabrim's geologic timescale its name.

Ingwane Falls is the steepest part of the river's channel. Whether or not it counts as a single waterfall, as it flows at an angle greater than 90° and not perpendicular to the ground, is a subject for debate, but nonetheless Ingwane is one of the most breathtaking natural sites in the whole country. Currently the area is marked with a sandstone pillar and sign. The falls occasionally dump squid onto land, leaving them to die; this makes the site prime real estate as squids are relatively rare in Sabrim and ink is a valuable luxury. The government of gwaTshani seeks to use this resource as an asset in trade.

Downriver from Ingwane Falls is the city of guHwa-Isiweni, capitol of gwaTshani. Along the banks of the river, many farmers grow crops, as in this section a small floodplain with loamy soil exists instead of the steep rocky banks of the badlands. The river continues past the city, heading due north, then east towards a small delta. The brackish Amanzigutu Lagoon receives much of its freshwater from the river, as the delta does not truly extend into the Sea of Light proper. Amanzigutu lagoon takes in ocean water during high tide, and river water at low tide, making salinity in the lagoon and the river's mouth highly variable.

## Biota

The river is home to a multitude of organisms, many of which are endemic to its watershed.

The midsection of the river is home to the large macroalga *Pseudomacrocystis,* which resembles a freshwater kelp and has multiple uses, including but not limited to food. Many species of turtlegrass also grow in the fresh and brackish sections of the river. The delta is often choked with brackish-water lilies, and its banks are lined with willow and mangrove trees.

The river's animal wildlife includes several endemic species, the largest of which is the Kaliba River Turtle, *Kalibemys tshaniensis*. This herbivorous testudine eats the algae and grass in the river's midsection and is almost completely aquatic. The Largemouth Freshwater Squid, *Rotostomateuthis dentiphora ingwanei,* is another native river creature, which is unique for being one of the few cephalopods capable of living in freshwater environments. This particular subspecies is the apex predator of the river ecosystem upriver of Ingwane Falls, but is also prey to other animals further downstream.

The Kaliba also has many fish that only reside part-time in the river. The Sabrim Salmon, *Oncorhynchus communis,* is a common seasonal visitor to the river from the sea. This common fish spawns in the river where its fry grow up. Other marine fish spawn in the delta and Amanzigutu Lagoon, where the mangroves and water lilies provide protection from predators.