THERE is a gradual rise in water level at the Kariba Dam following the recent rains, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) said on Monday.
According to ZRA’s latest hydrological update, the Kariba reservoir’s water level has been steadily increasing, with a current reading of 476,39 metres above sea level.
This represents a 6,17% increase in water storage capacity.
Munyaradzi Munodawafa, ZRA chief executive officer, attributed the rise in water level to improved rainfall activity in the Kariba catchment.
“The Kariba reservoir is experiencing a gradual rise in water level, mainly due to intensified rainfall around the lake. The recent rainfall activity has had a positive impact on the hydrological outlook and we expect this trend to continue through Q1 of 2025,” he said in an update.
Kariba Dam is a critical source of hydroelectric power for Zambia and Zimbabwe and the increased water level is expected to boost power generation capacity. Zimbabwe Power Company was yesterday generating 185MW at Kariba from an installed capacity of 1 050MW.
“The increase in water level is a welcome development and we expect it to have a positive impact on power generation. The authority remains committed to monitoring and managing water resources efficiently,” Munodawafa said.
He said ZRA would continue to monitor the hydrological situation in relation to Kariba Dam’s water level and its power generation capacity.
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“This hydrological update highlights the importance of continued monitoring and management of Kariba Dam’s water level to ensure optimal power generation and water management.”
He also noted a gradual increase in Zambezi River inflows at the Chavuma and Victoria Falls gauging stations.
“This is due to the recent dissipation of the El-Niño-induced drought, which caused substantial moisture loss from both the ground and the atmosphere,” he said.
