Okavango, Zambezi rivers on the rise

THE Okavango River is rising again and has reached depths of just under eight metres for the second time this month.

Over the past two weeks minimal decreases have been recorded. However, since the weekend the river has been edging up.NamWater officials at Rundu measured it at 7,92 metres yesterday, up from 7,82 m on Saturday.Earlier this month, the river reached a depth of 7,93 m – just short of the highest levels recorded for February 20 years ago – 7,98 m.With no information available from Angola on the flow patterns of the river there, hydrologists say it is difficult to predict levels for the coming months.In the Caprivi Region, the Zambezi River – as measured at Katima Mulilo – has risen by almost a metre in the last week and is fast approaching the three-metre mark.Yesterday, it stood at 2,85 m – four centimetres higher than at the same time last year.The river reached the 2 m mark on February 8 and measured 2,42 m on Friday.More rain is forecast for Zambia and Botswana this week, which could influence the Zambezi in the coming weeks.With at least 80 mm of rain having fallen over the Omaheke Region at the weekend, rivers there ran for a short while.But according to NamWater Area Manager for Omaheke, Koos Theron, the water from the White and Black Nossob Rivers had raced to the dams, leaving riverbeds dry again.Theron said the Otjivero Main Dam – which gets its water from the White Nossob River as well as from the silt dam which is fed by the Okahua River – was now 63 per cent full after standing at 59 per cent before the weekend’s rain.The Tilda Viljoen Dam, however, received no inflow and stands at only 17,5 per cent of capacity.In the Hardap Region, the weekend’s rain boosted the Hardap Dam by 10 per cent, and the Fish and Kam Rivers are now flowing.The dam is now 46,1 per cent full – still 14 per cent off its level at the same time last year.NamWater has recorded at least 100 mm of rain at Mariental since Friday.However, the dam’s catchment area only received half this amount.NamWater’s Purification Plant Supervisor Wessel du Plessis said a lot more rain was needed to bring water resources to acceptable levels.However, since the weekend the river has been edging up. NamWater officials at Rundu measured it at 7,92 metres yesterday, up from 7,82 m on Saturday. Earlier this month, the river reached a depth of 7,93 m – just short of the highest levels recorded for February 20 years ago – 7,98 m. With no information available from Angola on the flow patterns of the river there, hydrologists say it is difficult to predict levels for the coming months. In the Caprivi Region, the Zambezi River – as measured at Katima Mulilo – has risen by almost a metre in the last week and is fast approaching the three-metre mark. Yesterday, it stood at 2,85 m – four centimetres higher than at the same time last year. The river reached the 2 m mark on February 8 and measured 2,42 m on Friday. More rain is forecast for Zambia and Botswana this week, which could influence the Zambezi in the coming weeks. With at least 80 mm of rain having fallen over the Omaheke Region at the weekend, rivers there ran for a short while. But according to NamWater Area Manager for Omaheke, Koos Theron, the water from the White and Black Nossob Rivers had raced to the dams, leaving riverbeds dry again. Theron said the Otjivero Main Dam – which gets its water from the White Nossob River as well as from the silt dam which is fed by the Okahua River – was now 63 per cent full after standing at 59 per cent before the weekend’s rain. The Tilda Viljoen Dam, however, received no inflow and stands at only 17,5 per cent of capacity. In the Hardap Region, the weekend’s rain boosted the Hardap Dam by 10 per cent, and the Fish and Kam Rivers are now flowing. The dam is now 46,1 per cent full – still 14 per cent off its level at the same time last year. NamWater has recorded at least 100 mm of rain at Mariental since Friday. However, the dam’s catchment area only received half this amount. NamWater’s Purification Plant Supervisor Wessel du Plessis said a lot more rain was needed to bring water resources to acceptable levels.