Finally some good news from Africa! And it's no joke...
quote:
Zambezi River Flooding Upstream Vic Falls And Kariba, Kariba Dam Might Fill Up
April 1, 2020
The thunderous sound of the mighty Victoria Falls is back as the Zambezi River’s water levels have significantly risen, giving hope of recovery in the tourism sector once the Covid-19 threat has been alleviated.
Authorities have said as of last Friday, water levels in the Zambezi River in Chavuma, Zambia, have gone up 523 percent compared to the same period last year, thereby increasing flows to the Falls.
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) yesterday said water levels were trending above the long-term average, and the highest in 20 years.
Victoria Falls residents and players in the tourism industry are excited that the deafening sound of heavy volumes of water falling 107 metres down the gorge can be heard as far as the Victoria Falls International Airport which is 20km away.
Some good news!! The floodwaters of the Zambezi have hit Victoria Falls and Kariba – the river has risen quickly and the lake is starting to fill.
This is the biggest flood since 1977/78, which is the biggest flood since records started in the sixties. However, there is now a second wave coming through Chavuma (on the Angola/Zambia border) which looks as big as the first wave.
The difference is the Barotse floodplain is now full and this wave will sweep over it. All the water will be channelled through to the Falls and into Kariba.
“I predict this will be the biggest flood since the Kariba Dam wall floods of 1958. Kariba will probably fill.”
“The sad news is with this disastrous Covid-19, there will only be a few locals to witness what will be one of the greatest shows put on by the Zambezi!!”
___________________
Just Remember, We ALL Told You So.
01 April 2020, 17:28
Bama15
That is a wonderful sight. Good to have some positive news with all the negative going around.
01 April 2020, 23:04
Capt. Purvis
I had no idea you could hear the falls from the airport. That is amazing.
I hope the Kariba Dam walls hold. I know there has been some question about their structural integrity in the past.
STAY IN THE FIGHT!
02 April 2020, 20:22
impala#03
What a sight! Wish I could be there to see it.
02 April 2020, 20:30
eyeman
I was there in September and took a photo from the same spot. Big difference now
03 April 2020, 06:12
Skip Nantz
Awesome video...
Thanks for sharing...
Skip Nantz
03 April 2020, 09:41
georgeld
That's the way BIG Falls Should run.
Heavy and hard.
Thanks for sharing, never seen that much in the other pictures I've seen of it.
George
"Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!"
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George L. Dwight
04 April 2020, 05:02
ledvm
There is serious concern about the integrity of Kariba Damn. Serious work going on as we speak to shore it up and repair the structural decay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM
A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House
No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.
04 April 2020, 17:45
Opus1
Shoulda, coulda, woulda and 20 years too late.
Shoring up a dam after the fact is a fruitless attempt. The results however, will be spectacular.
TIA
___________________
Just Remember, We ALL Told You So.
04 April 2020, 17:50
shootaway
This should increase game numbers and be good for agriculture.
I hope sometime I will be back there hunting.
04 April 2020, 17:52
4-5-0
Terrific, but probably not the best time for another dip in the Devils' Pool
04 April 2020, 18:02
bwanajay
Thanks for posting.
04 April 2020, 20:56
fulvio
posted 07 March 2020 08:18 (Quote) Over the past few days the ongoing rains have turned the great Zambezi which was reduced to a trickle a few months ago, into a raging river.
A long time resident at Vic Falls commented that the last time he recalls the river being so high was 12 years ago.(Quote)
E Pluribus Unum - where out of many, we will become one.
05 April 2020, 16:51
Charlie64
.
If memory is correct, Kariba Dam was designed by an Italian engineer. 4 or 5 other dams that he built all failed and Kariba is the only one (still) remaining!
.
"Up the ladders and down the snakes!"
05 April 2020, 20:03
Bill/Oregon
Opus, does this mean the drought has lost its grip on Namibia? I have not been paying attention.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author
05 April 2020, 20:42
Opus1
Bill, thanks for asking. Yes the drought took a major step back this year for Namibia. Many areas to the north east received normal to excessive rains. The mid and southern portions of the country received beneficial rains but could use more. And I'm pleased to say that the Kunene region also received beneficial rain but we needed more. However considering what we have been through, we are thankful for what we got. Angola (much of which empties into Namibia and Botswana) received huge rainfall. And of course Botswana into Zimbabwe received big rain as well as demonstrated above.
But we are not out of the woods yet. There are still areas in southern Africa that continue to struggle with drought. But all indications are that the weather patterns have returned to a more normal flow and hopefully the trend continues next rain season. We need two more years of normalish rains to officially break the drought. The water table everywhere is at historic lows and have a long way to go before they replenish. There are still many dry wells throughout the country.
Fortunately for the wildlife, they will survive another year. While seven years of drought has devastated numbers, what remains are genetic monsters that will build an amazing legacy for decades to come. Hunting and tourism in Namibia will benefit from all the hardships we have endured. The strong always survive... well, most of the time anyhow.
TIA
Some areas in the Kunene received another 5 - 10 mils today (5 April) so maybe the rain isn't over yet.
___________________
Just Remember, We ALL Told You So.
05 April 2020, 21:26
Tim Carney
On Namibia, Bill, was at Byseewah Safaris between Outjo and Kamanjab some 40 miles south of Etosha Pan between 12 March and 1 April when a U.S.Embassy-organized charter got a number of us out to connect with Ethiopian Airlines. Much rain this year and the farm had a total on 31 March of about 360mm. Grass was high. Plenty of eland, kudu, springbok and blackface Impala around, but gemsbok and mountain zebra scarcer. Zebra likely in the hills of the 68K acre property. Are two pans on the extreme eastern side of the farm and one, at least finally had water in it, as we drove out 31 March. Driving down to Windhoek was plenty green with two smaller streams south of Otjiwarango flowing. The bigger river at Okahandja just had puddles.
Regards, Tim
07 April 2020, 01:47
Bill/Oregon
Thanks Opus. I love your comment on the drought survivors being "genetic monsters" that will benefit their species in the decades ahead. I would love to go back one more time. Tim, thanks for sharing your intel. I was very near that area when I hunted Shona's property on the River Huab back in 2007.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author
