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River Flows

The hydrometric network used for the control and day to day operations of the Kariba reservoir comprise of thirteen stations where water levels are monitored daily. Flow measurements are carried out at eight of these stations which include the Victoria Falls, one of the key stations on the Zambezi River. Coincidentally, the maximum flow recorded at Victoria Falls was during the early construction phase of Kariba Dam in March 1958 at 10,000 cubic metres per second.  The lowest flows recorded to date at Victoria Falls were during the 1995/96 season which had an annual mean flow of 390 cubic metres per second, whereas the Long Term Mean Annual flow at Victoria Falls is 1,100 cubic metres per second.

FLOWS AT SELECTED STATIONS:

Chavuma

Zambezi River flows at Chavuma are sluggishly rising with records of fluctuations due to rainfall activity within the catchment of interest, closing the period under review at 72m3/s on 18th November 2024 whilst last year on the same date it was 104m3/s.

From:
5 November 2024
To:
18 November 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
5-Nov6289
6-Nov6191
7-Nov6391
8-Nov6393
9-Nov6595
10-Nov6496
11-Nov6498
12-Nov64103
13-Nov69104
14-Nov71103
15-Nov72106
16-Nov72104
17-Nov72104
18-Nov72104
chavuma

Nana's Farm

The Zambezi River flows at Nana’s Farm, located some 33km upstream of Victoria Falls (typically the same reach) have steadily been increasing with a records of isolated fluctuations due to rainfall activities being observed around the catchment of interest, closing the period under review at 206m3/s on 18th November 2024. The flow observed on the same date last year was 294m3/s.

From:
5 November 2024
To:
18 November 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
5-Nov166272
6-Nov167281
7-Nov168291
8-Nov170290
9-Nov172292
10-Nov171297
11-Nov172297
12-Nov178294
13-Nov180293
14-Nov184293
15-Nov191288
16-Nov203292
17-Nov204293
18-Nov206294
nana

Ngonye

Flows at Ngonye are increasing with records of fluctuations due to rainfall activity around the catchment, closing the period under review at 229m3/s as of 18th November 2024. The flow recorded last year on the same date was 314m3/s.

From:
5 November 2024
To:
18 November 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
5-Nov169295
6-Nov172310
7-Nov173299
8-Nov176300
9-Nov183298
10-Nov186299
11-Nov242288
12-Nov191302
13-Nov198303
14-Nov202303
15-Nov222304
16-Nov235309
17-Nov236310
18-Nov229314
ngonye

Victoria Falls/Big Tree

The Zambezi River flows at Victoria Falls are steadily increasing with records of fluctuations due to rainfall activities being observed around the catchment of interest, closing the period under review at 206m3/s on 18th November 2024.  The flow observed on the same date last year was 294m3/s.

From:
5 November 2024
To:
18 November 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
5-Nov166272
6-Nov167281
7-Nov168291
8-Nov170290
9-Nov172292
10-Nov171297
11-Nov172297
12-Nov178294
13-Nov180293
14-Nov184293
15-Nov191288
16-Nov203292
17-Nov204293
18-Nov206294
vic-falls