The water level of Lake Kariba is gradually rising due to consistent rainfall in the reservoir and its surrounding catchment areas.
This is good news given the crippling drought and power shortages as over 80 percent of Zambia’s electricity is generated from the lake.
As per the most recent hydrology report from the Zambezi River Authority, the lake level is currently at 475.87 meters, an increase from 475.15 meters noted on December 16, 2024.
In contrast, the lake level was recorded at 477.28 meters during the same timeframe in 2024.
Additionally, the usable live storage for power generation has slightly increased to 2.61% as of January 6, 2025, up from 2.41% on December 16, 2024. Nonetheless, this figure is still below the 12.32% recorded in the same period in 2024.
The Zambezi River Authority emphasizes that Kariba Lake is intended to function within levels ranging from 475.50 meters to 488.50 meters, with a required freeboard of 0.70 meters for safe hydropower generation.
