Southern Africa’s Biggest Man-Made Dam Drains Toward Record Low
- Limited water levels threaten hydropower in Zambia, Zimbabwe
- Dam had 10.9% usable storage this week vs 34.1% a year ago
This article is for subscribers only.
Water levels at the Kariba reservoir, southern Africa’s biggest man-made lake, are plunging toward record lows, threatening hydroelectricity production for Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The dam had 10.9% of usable storage this week, compared with 34.1% a year ago, according to data from the Zambezi River Authority, the agency jointly controlled by the two nation’s governments. Levels are close to those reached in the 1995/96 season, the lowest recorded since the 128-meter (420 feet) high dam was completed in 1959.