The Zambezi River Authority says the Kariba Dam lake levels receded for the most part of the first quarter of 2020 with the obtaining lake levels being the lowest on record.

Authority Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said receding lake levels were mainly caused by the delayed onset of the 2019/2020 rainfall season which only commenced in January 2020 instead of October 2019 as projected by both local and regional weather experts and meteorological authority’s, coupled by poor rainfall run-off which saw a delayed increase in the Zambezi River flows in the Kariba catchment.

Engineer Munodawafa however said, the lake level later rose by 3.13 meters (m) between 27th March 2020 and 27th May 2020 following increased rainfall activity and associated run-off especially in the upper Kariba catchment.

He said, the lake levels should have been by then no less than 8 meters above the Minimum Operating Level but was only just over 5 meters above by 27th May 2020.

“As of 27th May 2020, the recorded lake level was 480.77 metres, signifying 37.6% live storage of stored usable water, with the lake being 5.27 metres above.” He explained.

Engineer Munodawafa further disclosed that during the period 1st January, 2020 to 27th May 2020, a total of 11.45 Billion Cubic Meters was utilized for power generation, representing 34% of the gross inflows over the same period.

“Zambezi River Authority has predominantly maintained the water allocation made to the two power utilities at Kariba for the year 2020 to ensure continued availability of water for power generation at Kariba for the remaining months of the year 2020 and beyond.” He said.

The Engineer said this was in a bid to balance between the increase in lake inflows with the need to ensure a steady buildup of the reservoir storage for purposes of power generation, and the uncertainty regarding rainfall performance under the upcoming 2020/2021 rainfall season.