News / National
Kariba Dam levels worsen
28 Aug 2024 at 10:19hrs | Views
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has reported that severe rainfall shortages and the El Niño-induced drought of the 2023/24 season continue to impact water levels in Lake Kariba.
As of this year, the water level in the lake has dropped to 476.75 meters, down from 479.34 meters last year.
This decline has led to reduced electricity generation at the Kariba Dam, with Zimbabwe generating 897 megawatts (MW) out of an installed capacity of 1,050 MW.
A comparison of lake levels over the past four weeks reveals a 2.59-meter decrease from the same period in 2023. The ZRA noted that reduced upstream inflows have contributed to the lower levels.
Local, regional, and international weather experts are currently meeting in Harare for the Southern Africa Climate Outlook Forum to discuss the 2024/25 rainfall season.
The ZRA plans to use the forthcoming downscaled rainfall forecasts for the Kariba catchment, provided by the Meteorological Services Departments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to conduct detailed hydrological simulations and allocate water for power generation at the Kariba Dam for 2025.
As of this year, the water level in the lake has dropped to 476.75 meters, down from 479.34 meters last year.
This decline has led to reduced electricity generation at the Kariba Dam, with Zimbabwe generating 897 megawatts (MW) out of an installed capacity of 1,050 MW.
Local, regional, and international weather experts are currently meeting in Harare for the Southern Africa Climate Outlook Forum to discuss the 2024/25 rainfall season.
The ZRA plans to use the forthcoming downscaled rainfall forecasts for the Kariba catchment, provided by the Meteorological Services Departments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to conduct detailed hydrological simulations and allocate water for power generation at the Kariba Dam for 2025.
Source - newsday
