Chivero dam spills, Mzingwane and Upper Ncema stil...

Chivero dam spills, Mzingwane and Upper Ncema still almost empty

Zim Now Writer

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority, mandated with managing the country’s surface as well as underground water, has said at least eight dams are spilling while the rest are filling up following the recent rains.

In a statement, Zinwa said the dams which were now full and spilling include Chivero, the major source of Harare’s water; Mwenje in Mazowe, Masembura and Arcadia in Bindura, in Mashonaland Central Province; Biri in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Province, Rufaro and Wenimbi in Marondera, Mashonaland East and Rusape.

The other ones include Ngwenya Lower Mguza in Umguza, Matabeleland North, Tokwane and Nyajena in Masvingo; and Thuli-Makwe in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province.

According to Zinwa, dams that were filling up include Kushinga-Phikhelela at 100.65 percent, Exchange (100.4 percent), Pollards (100 percent), Whitewaters (100 percent), and Manyame at 100 percent full.

“The wet spell being experienced in various parts of the country continues to push water levels in the country’s major dams up. As at January 25, 2023, the national dam level average had risen to 85 percent, pointing to the improving water security for urban water supply and irrigation agriculture,” Zinwa said.

“Regardless of these increasing water levels in the dams, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority continues to remind water users that water remains a finite resource and they should use it as sparingly as possible,” said Zinwa.

The national water authority urged farmers and other raw water users intending to draw water from its dams in the coming irrigation season to start working on renewing or getting their water abstraction agreements in readiness for the season.

Water abstraction agreements allow the Authority to efficiently allocate the available water among competing users.

However, Zinwa said despite the rains, dams such as Mzingwane and Upper Ncema near Esigodini in Matabeleland South Province – without doubt one of the driest regions of the country – remained critically low at 4.2 percent and 2.7 percent respectively.