-12 dams overflowing
MARTIN MAWAYA
HARARE-The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) said 12 dams are at full capacity, while the national average has risen from 69.3% to 70.9% as of January 22.
ZINWA’s stakeholder relations officer Tsungirirai Shoriwa said dams in the Gwayi catchment area, including Ngwenya, Insukamini, Pollards, Exchange, and Silalabuhwa, are all at 100% capacity.
The Khami dam is also nearly full at 99.7%.
However, the Bubi-Lupane dam in the same catchment is only at 46.5% of its capacity, raising concerns about water availability in that region.
In the Manyame catchment area, Chivero and Manyame dams are at 74.8% and 76.2% respectively, indicating a relatively stable situation.
But the Harava dam is only at 37% of its capacity.
The Mazowe catchment is facing more significant challenges, with the Mazowe and Kushinga-Phikhelela dams at 30.7% and 28.8% of their full capacities.
In the Mzingwane catchment area, the Mtshabezi and Mzingwane dams are at 64.7% and 33.4% of their full capacities, while the Silalabuhwa dam is at 100%.
The Runde catchment presents a mixed picture, with the Tugwi-Mukosi dam at 71.9% and the Manjirenji dam at only 20.7% of their full capacities.
The Mutirikwi dam, however, is at a relatively high of 95.1%.
ZINWA appealed to all those drawing water from the dams for purposes other than primary use, including summer crop irrigation, to ensure their water use is in accordance with their abstraction agreements and the law.
The water authority added that the current dam levels will boost the country’s water security.
