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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, where as the Long Term Mean
Annual flow at Victoria Falls is 1100
cubic metres per second.
FLOWS FOR SELECTED STATIONS:
CHAVUMA
Flows at Chavuma dropped slightly during the week following a reduction
in rainfall activities over the sub-catchment. The drop is
temporal as the flows are expected to rise again in the coming weeks. The flows
dropped from 1131m3/s
on 23rd January 2012 to 1036m3/s at end of week on 29th January
2012. Last year, the flows were 3427m3/s and 3558m3/s
on the 23rd and 29th of January, respectively.
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Zambezi River at Chavuma
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DATE
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FLOW (m3/s)
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23/01/2012
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1131
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24/01/2012
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1115
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25/01/2012
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1097
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26/01/2012
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1088
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27/01/2012
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1064
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28/01/2012
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1056
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29/01/2012
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1036
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NANA'S
FARM
This
station is located about 33km upstream of Victoria Falls.
Since there is no major tributary between the site and the falls,
flows measured at this station can be considered as flows passing
over the falls.
Flows on the Zambezi River at Nana's
Farm continued to rise steadily, though there was a minor drop in
flows at the end of the week. The end
of week flow on 29th January 2012 was 914m3/s
which is about 31% lower than the flow recorded last year on the same date.
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Zambezi River at Nana's Farm
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DATE
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FLOW (m3/s)
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23/01/2012
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829
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24/01/2012
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846
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25/01/2012
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857
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26/01/2012
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867
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27/01/2012
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920
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28/01/2012
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915
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29/01/2012
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914
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VICTORIA FALLS
Zambezi River flows monitored
at
Victoria Falls are still rising, even though they stabilized towards the
end of the week. The end of week flow was 955m3/s
on 29th January 2012 whilst last year on the same date it was 1318m3/s.
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Zambezi River at Victoria Falls/Big Tree
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DATE
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FLOW (m3/s)
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23/01/2012
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855
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24/01/2012
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871
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25/01/2012
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871
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26/01/2012
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888
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27/01/2012
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955
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28/01/2012
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955
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29/01/2012
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955
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