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The water levels in the Kariba Reservoir have been gradually rising. According to Zambezi River Authority (ZRA)’s latest hydrological update, the Kariba reservoir’s water level has been steadily increasing, with a reading of 476.39 meters above sea level as of 3 February 2025.
This is primarily attributed to intensified rainfall activity on and around the lake. This trend is projected to continue as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2025, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) said in a statement released on February 4.
This new information provided raises the question; What does this mean for Zimbabwe in terms of electricity shortage?
The nation as a whole has been going through a power outages pandemic. At the moment Hwange is holding the fort in feeding the grid and keeping the lights on. Hwange is currently producing 1017MW but Kariba with an installed capacity of up to 1050MW is only supplying 215MW. A rise in the Kariba Reservoir water levels will be good news to Zimbabwe as a whole.
The statement issued further stated that river flows at the Chavuma gauging station are gradually rising, although they remain significantly lower than those recorded in 2024 with the levels being at a whopping 277. 85m.
This can be attributed to the recent dissipation of the El-Niño-induced drought, which is said to have caused substantial moisture loss from both the ground and the atmosphere. As a result, much of the rainfall will first seep into the ground before it can flow as runoff. The situation is, however, likely to improve by mid-February 2025, due to the increasing rainfall activity that is projected in the lower and upper catchments.
The ZRA also reported that the Zambezi River flows at Victoria Falls Gauging Station are also slowly rising due to the positive impact of the rainfall activities upstream and around the Victoria Falls area. The well known tourists destination has also been losing its spark due lack of rainfall.
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