The geomorphology of the Rufiji River delta was investigated with emphasis on the influence of the delta’s context, including the river basin, and remote-sensed delta-plain channel connectivity and shoreline morphological, sedimentary and hydrodynamic variations. The Rufiji is influenced by its East African Rift Valley tectonic context, high inter-annual water discharge variability and large mud-dominated sediment supply. The delta exhibits 14 distributary channels, only five of which are currently functional and all debouching presently in a low-energy muddy north sector, probably in response to NE tectonic tilting of the coastal basin of Tanzania. The south sector is characterized by a clear loss of distributary connectivity with the main stem but this appears to have occurred gradually over time, and is not a product of sudden avulsion. This loss is manifested by stronger meandering and numerous meander cut-offs indicative of a weaker overall delta-plain gradient, and may reflect the influence of the aforementioned tilting. This sector also has more abundant beach-ridge deposits than the north sector. The difference in shoreline facies between the dominantly muddy north sector and the dominantly sandy south sector appears to reflect primarily exposure to wave energy determined by an archipelago fronting the delta, and this difference is presently reinforced by preferential channel sediment routing to the north and sectorial sediment sequestration. The Rufiji River basin and its delta represent important stakes in the development of Tanzania under the country’s rapid demographic growth, hydropower dam development and climate change. Eventual expected delta retreat caused by fluvial sediment shortage from the basin due to current and projected hydropower dams could be temporarily mitigated by sediment release by deforestation and by the relatively sheltered hydrodynamic setting of this delta.

研究了鲁菲吉河三角洲的地貌，重点研究了三角洲环境的影响，包括流域，遥感三角洲平原河道的连通性以及海岸线的形态，沉积和水动力变化。Rufiji受其东非大裂谷构造背景，年际高排水量变化和大量以泥浆为主的沉积物供应的影响。该三角洲拥有14条分流河道，其中只有5条目前处于运行状态，并且目前都在低能的泥泞北部地区进行分流，这可能是由于坦桑尼亚沿海盆地的东北构造倾斜所致。南部地区的特征是与主干之间的分配连通性明显丧失，但这似乎是随着时间的推移逐渐发生的，而不是突然撕脱的产物。这种损失表现为更强的曲折和许多曲折截止，表明较弱的整体三角平原梯度，并且可能反映了上述倾斜的影响。与北部地区相比，该地区的滩脊沉积物也更为丰富。北部主要是泥泞的地区和南部主要是沙质的地区之间的海岸线相貌差异似乎主要反映了三角洲前方的群岛所确定的波能暴露，目前这种差异由于北部优先沉积的河道沉积物和扇形沉积物而得到加强。隔离。在该国快速的人口增长，水电大坝发展和气候变化的背景下，鲁菲吉河流域及其三角洲代表了坦桑尼亚发展的重要利益。