One of the most contentious issues in the political economy of southern Africa is that relating to the management and use of water resources. Some of the world's most water-scarce countries are in southern Africa, and there is increased competition for the waters of the region's major rivers. As this paper will attempt to demonstrate, these large-scale water development schemes, like others that have been implemented in southern Africa over the past forty years, may have benefits for some people, but they raise serious concerns when it comes to the issue of quality of life of the poor majority. Keywords: Okavango Delta, Wetland, River basin, Delta ecosystems, Large-scale water development schemes, Tourism, Wildlife populations, Livelihoods of residents, Biodiversity, Reservoirs, Compulsoty relocation, Wildlife Conservation Policy 1986, Community-Controlled Hunting Areas, Anglo American mining.