Lower Zambezi water levels

**kevzambia** · 15-02-11

Hi all

I wasn't sure where to post this but figured that it would be of some interest for any of you who have a trip planned to the Lower Zam in the next couple of months. There are currently 4 out of 6 floodgates open at Kariba, this is the first time since 2000 that they've opened this many gates and with the volume of water coming out of Angola, the Zambezi River Authority say that they're not quite sure how long the gates will be kept open for.

At present the water level has risen by roughly 3 metres (I can't give an accurate height as our measuring stick at the lodge is now submerged!). Obviously what this means is that while the water is high the fishing will be very tough as there are more areas for the fish to move in and also more food available but once the levels drop, old channels will have been cleaned out, new sandbanks formed and new structure will have appeared along the banks, so there is an up side to all this!

Cheers...
http://img576.imageshack.us/g/img1751s.jpg/

**Herman Jooste** · 15-02-11

Eeeiiissshhh Kev, those pics remind me of the Vaal in flood this year.

I hope you managed to get the furniture and appliances out timeously.

When do you think you'll be able to operate at full steam again?

**kevzambia** · 16-02-11

Hi Herman

Fortunately we've still got about another 2 metres to go before the water gets into the chalets and main area at our place but most of the other lodges in the area are flooded.

I received this e-mail from the Zambezi River Authority yesterday...

"At the moment we have four spillway gates open at Kariba which will be temporarily closed from the 19th to 26th February, 2011 to allow for immediate inspection of the Plunge Pool by Divers downstream of the spillway gates. The gates will be re-opened immediately after the inspection by Divers.

Note that depending on the rainfall pattern and the river flows into the lake, as many as six gates could be opened at any one time. At the moment we cannot tell you how long the gates will remain open as this will depend on the weather patterns and the river flows upstream of lake kariba."

The last time that all 6 gates were opened was in 1966 and that was only for 48 hours as the authorities were concerned that the force of the water would erode the bedrock below the wall too much!

**Shamwari** · 16-02-11

Now you bamba tigers whule sitting on the WC.....

**Herman Jooste** · 16-02-11

Originally Posted by kevzambia

Hi Herman

Fortunately we've still got about another 2 metres to go before the water gets into the chalets and main area at our place but most of the other lodges in the area are flooded.

I received this e-mail from the Zambezi River Authority yesterday...

"At the moment we have four spillway gates open at Kariba which will be temporarily closed from the 19th to 26th February, 2011 to allow for immediate inspection of the Plunge Pool by Divers downstream of the spillway gates. The gates will be re-opened immediately after the inspection by Divers.

Note that depending on the rainfall pattern and the river flows into the lake, as many as six gates could be opened at any one time. At the moment we cannot tell you how long the gates will remain open as this will depend on the weather patterns and the river flows upstream of lake kariba."

The last time that all 6 gates were opened was in 1966 and that was only for 48 hours as the authorities were concerned that the force of the water would erode the bedrock below the wall too much!

Kev, I sincerely hope those divers are being paid a Shiek's ransom.

There is no ways I would dive " Hells Kitchen" even with no water coming through.

Can see the headlines, "Diver taken by 3 meter Vundu, or 6 meter Croc."

How deep is the Plunge Pool anyway ???