The natural wetland resources of the Namibian section of the Okavango River are important nationally and contribute positively to the livelihoods of the people living alongside it. Alternations to the timing, intensity or duration of the flood cycle in the river will influence the ecological functioning of the system and reduce the available resource base. The following four main ecosystems were identified by the Environmental Flows Assessment river delineation exercise by the Namibian team of specialists. a) The mainstream and floodplain section from Katwitwi to the Cuito confluence and down to Mukwe. Made up of a meandering mainstream and large seasonally-flooded floodplains on either side, often fringed by reedbeds. In the dry season, these seasonal floodplains provide grazing and soils for molopo farming. When inundated by the annual floods they provide shallow, safe, well-vegetated breeding and nursery areas for fish, amphibians, birds and other aquatic animals and support a diverse flora. b) The Cuito confluence and river section immediately downstream with its permanently swamped areas, large islands, meanders, ox bow lakes and water-logged floodplain area typically fringed with papyrus and containing permanent pools and swamp vegetation. c) The Southward flowing rocky, braided section from Mukwe to just below the Popa Rapids. In this section the river is confined to clear braided channels around sand and rock islands, over rocky rapids with dense, species-rich, riverine woodland on either side d) The Protected Area from Popa to the border with Botswana at Mohembo that includes the newly declared Bwabwata National Park with its two core conservation areas Buffalo and Muhango.