| Bahr el Zeraf | |
| Name Other: | Bahr ez Zeraf, Giraffe River, Phow[1] |
| Name Etymology: | 1. from Arabic "Giraffe River" 2. Indigenous name for one of 21 (now defunct) initial states of South Sudan (2014-2020) |
| Pushpin Map: | South Sudan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in South Sudan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | South Sudan |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Jonglei |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Central Upper Nile |
| Source1: | Sudd swamp |
| Source1 Location: | South Sudan |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 7.5°N 30.8°W |
| Source Confluence Location: | Zeraf Cuts, South Sudan |
| Source Confluence Coordinates: | 7.768°N 30.567°W |
| Mouth: | White Nile |
| Mouth Location: | New Fangak, South Sudan |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 9.413°N 31.163°W |
The Bahr el Zeraf (Arabic: بَـحْـر الـزّرَاف|Baḥr ez-Zerāf, also known as the Giraffe or Phow River in the English language,[2] is an arm of the White Nile in the Sudd region of South Sudan. It is completely contained within the South Sudanese state of Jonglei. Its name is Arabic for "Giraffe River".[3]
The Bahr el Zeraf forms in the southern Sudd wetlands as an arm of the Bahr al Jabal ("Mountain Nile") section of the White Nile. A pair of man-made canals known as the Zeraf Cuts were dug in 1910 and 1913[4] to connect the two rivers at 7.768°N 30.567°W.[5] These canals divert some of the Jabal's flow, more than doubling the Zeraf's volume, with the intention of accelerating the flow to Egypt and thereby reducing the water "lost" to evaporation and transpiration in the swamps.[4]
From the Cuts the Zeraf flows north through the Ez Zeraf Game Reserve for 280km (170miles). About 100km (100miles) of this distance is through continuous swamp with islands, transitioning further downstream to a well-defined channel with raised banks.[4] The Zeraf rejoins the White Nile near New Fangak,[6] 80km (50miles) downriver from Lake No and 56km (35miles) upriver from Malakal.[7]