Despite considerable rainfall inflows into Lake Kariba, Kariba Dam water levels remain low, New Ziana reports. This was said by Zambezi River Authority CEO Mr Munyaradzo Munodawafa who said:
So far for January 2020, the Lake has received a total of 3.15 billion cubic meters as total inflows, compared to 1.97 billion cubic meters received over the same period last year 2019.
The relatively high inflows monitored on the Upper Zambezi catchment remain weakened by the rather ‘thirsty’ Barotse and Chobe Flood Plains, resulting in paltry daily increments of about 6-12 m3/s per day at Victoria Falls. This explains why we are at 5.4 billion cubic meters or 8.36 percent usable storage in Lake Kariba as of this morning
The average annual inflows into Lake Kariba are in the order of 40 billion cubic meters, meaning, under average conditions, and assuming a generation level in the order of 550 MW requiring approximately 22 billion cubic meters, it would take up to three years of average inflows to fill the lake to maximum retention level.
The water levels at Kariba Dam in 2019 became so low that it could not sustain full capacity power generation.
More: New Ziana