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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 steadily increasing and are lower than what was recorded last year.  The flows closed the period under review at 764m3/s on 17th April 2024 whilst last year on the same date it was 2,565m3/s.

From:
4 April 2024
To:
17 April 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
4-Apr4341,716
5-Apr4401,895
6-Apr4582,103
7-Apr4752,275
8-Apr5002,417
9-Apr5242,548
10-Apr5502,595
11-Apr5852,603
12-Apr6142,586
13-Apr6462,574
14-Apr6772,586
15-Apr7172,614
16-Apr7362,597
17-Apr7642,565

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 records of fluctuations being observed, closing the period under review at 695m3/s on 17th April 2024. The flow observed on the same date last year was 1,967m3/s.

From:
4 April 2024
To:
17 April 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
4-Apr6652,206
5-Apr6642,182
6-Apr6642,165
7-Apr6572,152
8-Apr6712,135
9-Apr7162,114
10-Apr6942,086
11-Apr7042,069
12-Apr7032,052
13-Apr7072,031
14-Apr7042,019
15-Apr7042,000
16-Apr7001,979
17-Apr6951,967
nana

Ngonye

Flows at Ngonye have been increasing steadily with records of fluctuations, closing the period under review at 783m3/s on 17th April 2024. The flow recorded last year on the same date was 1,872m3/s.

From:
4 April 2024
To:
17 April 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
4-Apr7332,008
5-Apr7401,993
6-Apr7461,976
7-Apr7491,954
8-Apr7691,942
9-Apr7551,925
10-Apr7631,902
11-Apr7771,899
12-Apr7771,893
13-Apr7681,887
14-Apr7711,878
15-Apr7831,872
16-Apr7711,872
17-Apr7831,872
ngonye

Victoria Falls/Big Tree

The Zambezi River flows at Victoria Falls are increasing with records of fluctuation being observed, closing the period under review at 695m3/s on 17th April 2024.  The flow observed on the same date last year was 1,967m3/s.

From:
4 April 2024
To:
17 April 2024
DateFlow (m3/s)(2023/24)Flow (m3/s)(2022/23)
4-Apr6652,206
5-Apr6642,182
6-Apr6642,165
7-Apr6572,152
8-Apr6712,135
9-Apr7162,114
10-Apr6942,086
11-Apr7042,069
12-Apr7032,052
13-Apr7072,031
14-Apr7042,019
15-Apr7042,000
16-Apr7001,979
17-Apr6951,967
vic-falls