Kitenge River

Kitenge River
Native name	French: Rivière Kitenge
Location
Country	Burundi
Province	Bubanza Province, Cibitoke Province
Physical characteristics
Mouth	Kagunuzi River,
• coordinates	2°56′55″S 29°25′41″E / 2.948608°S 29.427927°E / -2.948608; 29.427927

The Kitenge River, or Gitenge Rver, is a river in northwestern Burundi.

The Kitenge River forms above Lake Rwegura, the reservoir for the Rwegura Hydroelectric Power Station and flows in an overall west-southwest direction. It forms the boundary between Bubanza Province to the south and Cibitoke Province to the north. It is a tributary of the Kagunuzi River, which it joins from the right, which in turn is a tributary of the Ruzizi River.

Gitenge–Kagunuzi and the Kaburantwa River are important tributaries on the east side of the Ruzizi river, with an estimated total hydroelectric potential of about 100 MW.^[1] The Gitenge River provides power to the 18 MW Mugere Hydroelectric Power Station. The reservoir allows regulation of the Kitenge with a view to the establishment of other power plants downstream.^[2]

In 2011 the KItenge River above the Rwegura Dam Lake had dried up completely. Some said Eucalyptus trees planted around the lake were said to be consuming large amounts of water.^[3] Another explanation was that deforestation and tea plantations had reduced the ability of the land to absorb water in the rainy season and release through seepage it in the dry season.^[4] Regideso Burundi was employing at least 400 workers to dig a 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) canal so the Inamunyiriri River would flow into the lake.^[3]