Gweru dam levels rise

The Sunday News

Gweru dam levels continue to rise giving communities hope of improved and increased water supplies for irrigation and their daily chores.

As at January 19, Insukamini was overflowing, Whitewaters was at 91 percent full and Amapongokwe was recorded at 89,4 percent full due to heavy rainfall. Gwenoro and Sebakwe Dams were recorded to be at 79,2 and 56,1 percent full.

Marjorie Munyonga, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority corporate communications and marketing manager said despite the heavy rains, water users should remember that water is a finite resource which needs to be utilised efficiently and sparingly. She said the national dam level average stood at 82,4 percent.

Munyonga said as a result of the rains, most of the country’s 10 largest dams recorded positive inflows with the overall proportion of the dams which recorded positive inflows during the week rising to 41,1 percent compared to 29,1 percent in the previous week.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority

The rains, she said, had also led to the filling up and spilling of more dams including Antelope, Valley and Mbembeswana in Matabeleland South, Shurugwi in Midlands, and Arcadia in Mashonaland Central.

“Other dams that are spilling include Muzhwi, Masembura, Chivero, Insukamini, Claw and Ngondoma,” she said.

Munyonda said users drawing water from Zinwa managed dams should ensure that their water use is in terms of the water abstraction agreement as required by the law.

“Water abstraction agreements make it possible for Zinwa to sustainably and efficiently allocate the available water among competing users,” she said. (source: New Ziana)