Sankuru

a river in central Africa, in Zaire, a right tributary of the Kasai River in the Congo (Zaire) River basin. The San-kuru is more than 1,000 km long and drains an area of approximately 156,000 sq km.

The upper Sankuru, known as the Lubilash, flows through a deep valley, forming rapids and waterfalls; below Wolf Falls, the valley is wider. The water level rises during the summer rainy season, which lasts from September-October through April; the lowest level occurs in August. The flow rate at the mouth varies from 700 to 4,300 cu m per sec; the mean annual flow rate is 2,500 cu m per sec. The Sankuru is navigable for 580 km from the mouth. There are hydroelectric power plants on the upper Sankuru. Diamonds are mined in the basin of the Sankuru.