Dam levels in Midlands Province rise

Midlands Bureau

DAM levels in Gweru and Kwekwe rose significantly following heavy rains that fell in the past two weeks.

“As at January 19, Insukamini was overflowing while Whitewaters was at 91 percent full and Amapongokwe was recorded at 89.4 percent full due to heavy rainfall that fell in the around the dams catchment areas. Gwenhoro and Sebakwe Dams were recorded to be at 79.2 and 56.1 percent full,” said Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) corporate communications and marketing manager in a statement.

She said the national dam level average stood at 82.4 percent.

Mrs Munyonga said as a result of the rains, most of the country’s 10 largest dams recorded positive inflows with the overall proportion of the dams which recorded positive inflows during the week rising to 41.1 percent compared to 29.1 percent in the previous week.

“The rains had also led to the filling up and spilling of more dams including Antelope, Valley and Mbembesanwa in Matabeleland South, Shurugwi in Midlands, and Arcadia in Mashonaland Central.

“Other dams that are spilling include Muzhwi, Masembura, Chivero, Insukamini, Claw and Ngondoma,” she said.

Mrs Munyonda said users drawing water from Zinwa managed dams should ensure that their water use is in terms of the water abstraction agreement as required by the law.

“Water abstraction agreements make it possible for Zinwa to sustainably and efficiently allocate the available water among competing users,” she said.