Kariba Dam water levels continue to rise

Conrad Mupesa – Mashonaland West Bureau

WATER levels in Lake Kariba are rising, with the latest report from the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) showing a steady increase.

The lake level has risen to 477,68 metres, which compares favourably with 477,42 metres during the same period last year.

According to a Press release from ZRA, the steady increase in inflow from the upper catchment of Kariba has also seen an increase in usable live storage volume to 9, 81 billion cubic metres.

Last year during the same time, live storage volume was at 8, 62 billion cubic metres. The increase gives hope to Zimbabwe and Zambia’s power availability as suitable storage for power generation rose to 15,15 percent as compared to 13,31 percent in the same period last year.

Kariba Lake was designed to operate between levels of 475,50 metres and 488,50 metres (with 0,70 metres freeboard) for hydropower generation.

At full supply level, the lake stores 181 billion cubic metres of water of which 116 billion cubic metres is dead storage, not necessary for power generation.