DAMS in Bulawayo are now more than 50 percent full on account of the incessant rains pounding the southern parts of the country and have seen the city water reservoirs receiving 22 percent inflows.
In a statement yesterday, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said the significant rains that have been received had seen dam levels increasing to an average of 55,95 percent since the start of the rainy season.
“Global increase to date due to the recent rains is 22.4 percent of overall dam capacity,” said Dube.
He said all of the city’s supply dams were operating.
According to the statistics released , Insiza Mayfair Dam is at 71,39 percent full while Inyankuni is at 53,87 and Lower Ncema at 92 percent.
Dube noted that Umzingwane Dam stands at 8,16 percent full, while Upper Ncema and Mtshabezi stand at 19,57 and 67,53 percent respectively.
He said the grand total at all operational dams stands at 55,95 percent, with 232 003 700 cubic metres out of which 215 418 592 cubic metres is usable.
The town clerk added that significant gains were realised from January 4, with 22,4 percent being the total gained from all six supply dams.
Insiza gained a cumulative total of 7,54 percent, Inyankuni, 33,67 percent while lower Ncema had an impressive 78,98 percent.
Umzingwane Dam recorded 2,7 percent inflows and Upper Ncema gained 2,13 percent increase while Mtshabezi Dam realised a 69,28 percent.
The total cumulative inflows received from January 4 stand at 92 890 988.37 cubic metres.
Meanwhile, five dams in Matabeleland are full, with three others having started spilling, according to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)
Zinwa had, therefore, urged people living in downstream communities to be on high alert and to avoid crossing at unsafe points which puts them in danger of being swept away.
Zinwa said national storage levels had risen to 82,6 percent, significantly higher than 63,7 percent normally expected at this time of the year.
The Meteorological Services Department has also warned that once dams reach 100 percent, and start spilling, they pose downstream flood risks.
by
Andile Tshuma
in BULAWAYO
