GEF Zambia - Building a Sustainable Society

13/03/2026

06/03/2026

26/02/2025

WHY HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODS IN LUSAKA DON'T IMMEDIATELY FILL LAKE KARIBA

There has been a lot of debate about why Zambia is experiencing heavy rains and floods, yet Lake Kariba remains low, leading to continued load shedding. Some assume that because certain areas, like Lusaka, are flooded, the dam should be filling up. However, from a hydrological perspective, this is a misunderstanding of how Lake Kariba is replenished.

1. Lake Kariba Depends on the Zambezi River, Not Local Rains
Lake Kariba gets its water mainly from the Upper Zambezi River catchment, which includes Angola, Zambia (North-Western Province), Namibia, and Zimbabwe. If these regions do not receive enough rainfall, Kariba’s inflow remains low, no matter how much rain Lusaka or other parts of Zambia receive. Lusaka’s floodwaters do not drain into the Zambezi River system, so they have no impact on the lake’s levels.

2. It Takes Time for Water to Reach Kariba
Even when the right regions receive rainfall, water does not instantly fill up the lake. The Zambezi and its tributaries take time to collect and transport runoff. This process is slower when the land has been extremely dry, as the soil first absorbs a lot of water before it can contribute to river flow. Only after the ground is saturated does excess water start flowing into streams and, eventually, into Lake Kariba.

3. Other Factors Reduce Water Levels
Even with good rainfall, Kariba loses water through:

Evaporation: High temperatures cause significant water loss.

Seepage and absorption: Some water is lost before reaching the lake.

THE REALITY

Floods in Lusaka are not connected to Kariba’s water levels. The key to stopping load shedding lies in sufficient, widespread, and sustained rainfall in the Upper Zambezi River catchment, followed by enough time for water to reach the lake. Until that happens, Lake Kariba will take longer to recover. Understanding this is essential to having informed discussions about Zambia’s water and energy chall

09/01/2025

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KARIBA LAKE LEVEL STEADILY INCREASING DUE TO SUSTAINED RAINFALL

The Kariba Lake level is steadily increasing, thanks to sustained rainfall over the reservoir and its immediate catchment areas.

According to the latest hydrology report released by the Zambezi River Authority, the lake level stands at 475.87 meters, up from 475.15 meters recorded on December 16th 2024.

In comparison, during the same period in 2024, the lake level was recorded at 477.28 meters.

Meanwhile, the usable live storage for power generation has improved slightly to 2.61% as of January 6th 2025, compared to 2.41% on December 16th 2024. However, it remains lower than the 12.32% recorded during the same period in 2024.

The Zambezi River Authority notes, the Kariba Lake is designed to operate within levels of 475.50 meters to 488.50 meters, with a 0.70-meter freeboard required for safe hydropower generation.

29/12/2024

STORM WATER HARVESTING
Reports of lots of rain water blocking roads in Southern Province, amidst national cries about drought, make us wonder what sort of preparedness the Water Resources Management Agency (WARMA) has been doing to avert effects of the long drought.
Isn't this water supposed to be harnessed into use for hydro electricity generation, crop irrigation, Managed Aquifer Recharge, fish farming or even domestic water supply.
WARMA, in partnership with the Road Development Agency (RDA), must venture into landscaping for Storm Water Cropping to get every Rain Surface Run Off water channelled for use, sustain road infrastructure, protect lives of road users and foster efficient road travel.

19/12/2024

BACK TO MAVUNDA
The Tropical Dry Evergreen Cryptosepalum exfoliatum pseudotaxus Forests have experienced an Unprecedented assault in the past 10 to 15 years. This was triggered by commercial timber-harvesting.
Timber-harvesting opened up this, naturally, very thick, dark and cool evergreen forest to Forest Fires and Extensive Farming.
Initially, the Mavunda were too thick to be penetrated by forest fires, and too difficult to work, to allow cultivation of large portions of land. Not any longer after openings in the forest crown were created by felling, creation of can't processing bays and tracks for dragging and forwarding the logs.
ACTIVITY 1. A satellite image analysis to show Forest Cover Change of the Mavunda Forests.

30/10/2024

The boy must be stinking rich. He refuse even $100 over here?

American rapper, Curtis Jackson, popularly known as 50 Cent, has claimed that he rejected a $3m offer to perform at Republican Party candidate Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally in New York.