Bokaa, Botswana

The Bokaa Dam provides a mere 25% of the water supply for Gaborone and surrounding areas, forcing residents to rely on a far-reaching pipeline system. With the reservoir drying up entirely during exceptionally dry winters, water security is a persistent headache. Meanwhile, the fence around the reservoir is in disrepair, allowing livestock to freely trample the water's edge into bare mud. For those who don't mind the bureaucratic hassles and fickle climate, Bokaa may offer a peaceful respite in the Acacia savanna. But it's hardly an oasis.