The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THERE is still no joy for Bulawayo as its supply dams have remained critically low despite water levels in the country’s major dams rising significantly at the back of the rains that have been received in most parts of the country, with the national dam level average at 84,9 percent.
The rains have resulted in the levels being above the normally expected levels during this time of the year although Bulawayo’s supply dams such as uMzingwane, Insiza, Lower and Upper Ncema have not responded positively to the rains.
As at January 27, statistics from Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) indicate that Chivero was at 103,4 percent, Arcadia 101,1 percent, Harava 100 percent and Lake Mutirikwi at 95 percent among others.
Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)
However, some dams were still below 50 percent such as Upper Insiza which was at 39,7 percent, Seke at 35,3 percent, Lower Ncema at 25,2 percent while Mzingwane and Upper Ncema were at 4,1 percent and 2,8 percent respectively.
In a statement on Friday, Zimbabwe National Water Authority, corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said the wet spell being experienced in various parts of the country continue to push water levels in the country’s major dams up.
“As at January 27, 2023, the national dam level average had risen to 84,9 percent pointing to the improving water security for urban water supply and irrigation agriculture. The number of dams filling up and spilling is also on the rise. Dams that are now full and spilling include Chivero, Mwenje, Masembura, Biri, Exchange, Rufaro, Arcadia, Rusape and Wenimbi. However, despite the rains, dams such as Mzingwane and Upper Ncema remain critically low.”
Umzingwane Dam
She said regardless of these increasing water levels in the dams, Zinwa continues to remind water users that water remains a finite resource and they should use it as sparingly as possible. Mrs Munyonga said farmers and other raw water users intending to draw water from Zinwa dams in the coming irrigation season were advised to start working on renewing or getting their water abstraction agreements in readiness for the season.
“These water abstraction agreements allow Zinwa to efficiently allocate the available water among competing users.”
Most cities and towns rely on dammed water, and a large fraction of the stored water is set aside for irrigation, vital for the winter crops and important to boost yields of summer crops by allowing early planting and carrying fields through rainless spells.
In Matabeleland, dams under the Gwayi catchment such as Bubi-Lupane, Ngwenya, Insukamini, Pollards, Khami and exchange were over 55 percent full with some at 100 percent, while it was being used for water supply and irrigation.
Under Umzigwane catchment only Insiza, Antelope, Mtshabezi and Zhovhe dams were over 50 percent full as Mzingwane, Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema were below 30 percent full with the water being used for irrigation and water supply.
