Okavango Delta Flood Now — Current Water Levels & Satellite Tracking

Where is the Okavango Flood Today?

Sentinel-2 satellite imagery is used to map current surface water extent across the Okavango Delta at approximately 50 metre resolution. The latest observation shows where open water is present today and how flood extent is changing compared with the previous satellite pass.

The regional flood progression chart below tracks water extent through the current season as a percentage of each area's historical maximum inundation — the same overview shown at the bottom of the latest individual report.

Estimated flood arrival windows in each report are based on observed movement between satellite passes and historical flood timing for each reporting region. These are planning estimates — actual arrival depends on upstream flow from Angola, evaporation and local conditions.

Current Delta conditions

Live views of regional flood progression from the latest satellite report and average monthly fire detections across the archived Okavango Delta record.

What each flood report includes

Every Okavango Delta flood update combines satellite analysis with regional summaries to help you answer where the flood is today, when it may arrive in each region, and how water levels are changing across the Delta.

• Current satellite-derived water extent and flood position
• Regional flood progression charts for the current season
• Estimated flood arrival windows by region
• Change since the previous observation
• Comparison with historical flood seasons
• Regional flood summaries and historical water extent graphs
• Flood maps for Panhandle, Central Delta, Peripheral Delta, Southern Delta and Maun

Areas covered by Okavango Water Flood Reports

Reports analyse open water extent across five reporting regions: Panhandle, Central Delta, Peripheral Delta, Southern Delta and Maun. These areas represent different parts of the Delta flood system and help you understand where floodwaters are arriving, spreading or receding through the season.

• Panhandle — The northern entry point where the Okavango River flows into Botswana — often the first region to show the arriving flood pulse.
• Central Delta — The heart of the permanent and seasonal swamp, where channels spread and floodwaters begin to fan across the landscape.
• Peripheral Delta — Outer floodplains and margins where water spreads into adjacent grasslands during peak inundation.
• Southern Delta — The southern fan of the Delta where floodwaters continue to move and gradually dissipate through the season.
• Maun — The area around Maun and the Thamalakane River, where flood conditions affect communities, wildlife areas and tourism access.

How Okavango Water flood reports are produced

Flood reports are generated from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery processed at approximately 50 metre spatial resolution. New imagery is analysed roughly every five days when cloud cover allows a clear view of the Delta. A water extent classifier maps open water across the region, and each report compares the latest observation with the previous available image and with historical observations from the same time of year.

At 50 m resolution, individual pixels may include mixed vegetation and water. Flooded vegetation can influence classification, and results represent regional flood patterns rather than exact water depth measurements. For full methodology, see our About page or explore the interactive water archive.