Osborne Dam water levels remain low

20 Jan, 2017 - 00:01 0 Views

The ManicaPost

Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter —
THOUGH the current rains have boosted the country’s dam levels – with most in the Save Catchment recording noteworthy inflows – the same cannot be said of Manicaland’s biggest reservoir Osborne which is a miserly 34 percent full.

The rains, this season have drastically improved and this has seen most dams in the Save Catchment recording significant inflows, but the water levels at Osborne Dam remain worrisomely low.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) acting corporate communications and marketing manager, Mr Tsungirirai Shoriwa, said some major dams countrywide were full.

Mr Shoriwa said the national dam level average now stands at 58,4 percent, up from 50,4 percent on January 13.

“This represents an almost 20 percent rise in the national average since the beginning of the rainy season. When the rainy season started, the national average was 39,1 percent,” said Mr Shoriwa.

Osborne is reeling under last year’s mechanical faults when much of its water was lost through leakages.

Its hydraulic gate valve system required overhauling following the jamming of some outlet valves while releasing water.

Water from the dam is periodically released for the benefit of downstream commercial farming activities, with major beneficiaries being sugarcane estates in the Lowveld.

Statistics released by Mr Shoriwa shows that Osborne is 33.9 percent full.

The dam has a full supply capacity of 401 620mgl.

Though its water levels remains low, the dams operate as a system, such that if the situation at Osborne Dam becomes unsustainable, water can be drawn from Siya Dam (Bikita), Ruti Dam (Buhera), Mpudzi Dam, Odzani Dam, Small Bridge Dam and Rusape Dam –which have gained significant inflows since this summer.

Rusape is at 92.5 percent. Its full supply capacity is 68 000mgl. Siya is still low at 28.6 percent, with a full supply capacity of 105, 455mgl.

Zinwa said Odzani and Small Bridge dams which supply water to City of Mutare had recorded significant inflows.

Odzani Dam has the full supply capacity of 6, 422mgl, Smallbridge Dam 14, 785mgl, Ruti Dam, which is the major source of water in the dry Buhera District, has a full capacity supply of 152 308mgl.

Wenimbi Dam in Mashonaland East is at 102 percent with a full supply capacity of 21, 932mgl, while Mpudzi Dam has a full supply capacity of 12, 146mgl.

The improvement in water levels may ameliorate progress at some irrigation schemes, whose prospects of the winter crop, were in danger as Zinwa had issued orders barring winter cropping to conserve the available supplies for environmental purposes.

Mr Shoriwa said: “Some of the major dams are now full, with Khami, Wenimbi, Insukamini, Tuli Makwe, Mundi-Mataga, Nyadire and Harava being some of the dams that are already full. Most of the places that were in danger after their water supply dams ran dry last year are now safe as the dams now have sufficient water to meet their needs. These include Mt Darwin, Kotwa, Mutawatawa and Mutoko.

“Mazowe Dam, which had not recorded any rise in its water level has finally recorded a 1,7 percent increase rising to 7,3 percent, while Mtirikwi Dam has also recorded an increase and is now 9,4 percent full.

Major rises have been recorded for dams such as Manjirenji which rose by 12 percent, Chivero 25,3 percent,  Whitewaters 47,9 percent, Gwenoro 15,1 percent,  Rusape 28,6 percent, and Bubi Lupane 30,7 percent since January 9, 2017.

State of major dams as at January 16, 2017
Dam         Catchment                           Purpose                                                %full

Chivero    Manyame                              Irrigation, Water Supply                    1,6

ManyameManyame                              Water Supply, Irrigation                   90,1

Mazvikadei Manyame                     Irrigation ,    Mining                              86,8

Harava      Manyame                              Water Supply , Irrigation                   100

Karoi         Manyame                              Water Supply, Irrigation                      60

Mazowe   Mazowe                                Irrigation                                             7,3

Nyambuya Mazowe                              Irrigation , Water Supply                82,4

Rufaro      Mazowe                               Irrigation, Water Supply, Industry   5,8

Kushinga-Phikhelela    Mazowe        Irrigation and Water Supply           101

Mundi-Mataga Mzingwane                 Irrigation                                           100,4

Mtshabezi Mzingwane                        Irrigation and Water Supply        51,9

Upper Ncema Mzingwane                 Water Supply                                     26,6

Zhovhe    Mzingwane                          Irrigation                                          100,7

Lower Ncema Mzingwane                 Water Supply                                    18,6

Mzingwane Mzingwane                      Irrigation and Water Supply         25,4

Bangala    Runde                                    Irrigation                                       105,3

Manjirenji Runde                                   Irrigation                                         22,7

Mutirikwi Runde                                    Irrigation and Water Supply           9,4

Muzhwi    Runde                                    Irrigation and Mining                       63,1

Gwenoro Runde                                   Irrigation and Water Supply          61,1

Sebakwe  Sanyati                                  Water Supply and Irrigation         69,7

Whitewaters Sanyati                            Water Supply                                       83

Osborne  Save                                       Irrigation                                        33,9

Wenimbi Save                                       Water Supply and Irrigation       102,6

Siya Save                                                  Irrigation                                    28,6

Rusape     Save                                        Water Supply and Irrigation         92,5

Bubi-Lupane Gwayi                              Water Supply and Irrigation         88,3

Insukamini Gwayi                                  Irrigation and Water Supply        112, 1

Exchange Gwayi                                    Irrigation and Water Supply        102,7

Khami Gwayi                                                 Irrigation                                 100

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