BY WANDILE TSHUMA
Water levels at the Kariba Dam are gradually rising following improved rainfall across the Zambezi River Basin, bringing cautious optimism for water availability and power generation.
In a hydrological update released Tuesday, the Zambezi River Authority said the Lake Kariba reservoir level had reached 477.74 metres above sea level as of 10 March 2026.
Usable live storage now stands at 15.57 percent, equivalent to about 10.08 billion cubic metres of usable water.
The Authority said the increase is being driven by improved rainfall across much of the Kariba catchment during the 2025/2026 rainy season, which has boosted river flows and inflows into the reservoir.
“This reflects an improvement compared to the same date in 2025, when the reservoir stood at 476.93 metres above sea level with usable live storage of 9.87 percent,” the Authority said.
Zambezi flows rising at key monitoring points
River flows are also increasing at key monitoring stations along the Zambezi River.
At the Chavuma Gauging Station, flows reached 3,058 cubic metres per second on 10 March 2026, significantly higher than 2,088 cubic metres per second recorded during the same period last year.
Flows have also risen sharply near Victoria Falls, a key tourism and hydrological monitoring point.
At the Victoria Falls (Nana’s Farm) Gauging Station, river flows increased to 1,645 cubic metres per second, compared to 871 cubic metres per second on the same date in 2025.
The Authority said the upward trend reflects stronger rainfall upstream and around the Victoria Falls area, which is feeding the Zambezi system.
Outlook
The Zambezi River Authority said it will continue monitoring rainfall patterns and inflows across the basin to guide water utilisation at hydropower stations linked to the Kariba Dam.
The reservoir is a critical source of electricity for both Zimbabwe and Zambia, which jointly own and manage the dam through the Authority.
