adminPost Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has assured irrigators and other bulky water users within the Save Catchment that the zone’s major dams have adequate water to take then into the next rainy season. Zinwa hydrologist Maxwell Munyai, said the Save Catchment, covering Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Masvingo provinces, currently boasts 594 736 mega litres (75,4 percent) of its combined full supply capacity of 780 000 mega litres.
He also dismissed fears that the catchment’s major water reservoir – Osborne Dam, which was constructed in the 90s, has sunk to unprecedented levels, and therefore raising fear among downstream farmers.
Concerns had, of late, swirled around water levels at Osborne Dam with local villagers claiming that one of the floodgates had developed a mechanical fault that had resulted in unregulated flow of water.
Mr Munyai said as of June 8, 2015, Osborne Dam was 57.9 percent full, which transcends to 232 585 mega litres of its full supply capacity of 401 620 mega litres.
Osborne’s peak storage was in January when it hit the 80 percent mark, but still 20 percent below the dam’s water supply capacity of 401 620 mega litres.
“At 232 585 mega litres, it remains the biggest storage in the Save Catchment and way above the storage levels of the second ranking dam.
“Those reports are unfounded, the dam has not developed cracks, and Osborne Dam is intact. There are no problems with its walls. We are servicing one of the valves which was sticking and making the regulation of water problematic.
“People may talk of drought as related to the rain-fed agriculture, but as regards irrigation, the Save Catchment has enough water until the next rainy-season, which is around September and October.
“The major source of water in Manicaland is Osborne Dam whose storage level as of this week is 232 585 mega litres (57,9 percent).
“The dams operate as a system, and if we had challenges at Osborne, we would have released water from other dams such as Siya Dam (Bikita), Ruti Dam (Buhera), Mpudzi Dam, Odzani Dam, Small Bridge Dam, and Rusape Dam, which would be supplying water downstream for irrigation purposes,” said Mr Munyai.
Ruti Dam, which harness water from Nyazvidzi River, which borders Buhera and Gutu, has the second largest storage at 85 percent full, 129 418mgl, of its full supply capacity of 152 308 mega litres.
Siya Dam in Bikita, is third at 99.5 percent, 104 887mgl, of its full supply capacity of 105 455mgl.
Rusape Dam is fourth at 98.2 percent, 66 769 mgl, against a full supply capacity of 68 000mgl followed by Wenimbi Dam (Marondera), which is at 100 percent, and flooding at 21 932 mega litres.
Other notable dams are Odzani, 6 422 mgl and is currently at 100.5 percent which transcends to 6 452 mgl.
Small Bridge Dam is currently at 100.5 percent, that is, 14 855 mgl against a full supply capacity of 14 785mgl.
Bangazani Dam (Chipinge) is 97 percent full at 2 739 mega litres.
Its full supply capacity is at 2 825mgl.
Mupudzi Dam is at 99.6 percent (12 101 mega litres) against a full supply capacity of 12 146 mega litres.
Mujangaja Dam (Gutu) is at 92.7 percent (1 825 mega litres against a hold capacity of 1 969 mega litres and Mashoko Dam (Masvingo) is at 77.6 percent, 1 173 mega litres against a holding capacity of 1 512 mega litres.
Online Reporter