Online Reporter
Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority has constructed two high-tech hydrological gauging stations along the Matanho and Musirizwi Rivers in Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts to improve river flow monitoring and data collection.
The setting up of the stations was made possible with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
These two stations are upstream of Mhakwe Dam and Musirizwi River.
Similar hydrological gauging stations have since been installed downstream of Tugwi-Mukosi, Muzhwi Dam and upstream of Manyuchi Dam, Bindangombe Dam, Antelope Dam, Birchenough Bridge and Masholomoshe Dam.
Another gauging station is set to be constructed along Mankonkoni River.
Zinwa spokesperson Mrs Majory Munyonga said the stations would help strengthen and improve rural communities’ resilience in the face of climate change.
Such gauging facilities, she said, could help smallholder farmers’ appreciation, understanding of and access to climate information services.
“These modern gauging stations are envisaged to revolutionise hydrological data collection and river flows monitoring. The stations automatically take readings every 15 minutes and also automatically transmit the collected data to the server, every two hours as opposed to older technologies where gauging stations required physical and manual reading,” she said.
Mrs Munyonga said the gauging stations were critical for real time river flows monitoring and informing climate adaptation strategies.
Hydrological data collected from the stations was also vital in disaster prevention, water resources management and planning as well as helping small holder farmers benefiting from the river systems to make informed decision in their day-to-day activities.
