Little change in national dam levels

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Wednesday January 9, 2013 00:00

 

From mid-December to-date, Gaborone Dam dropped by two percent between then and now, and currently stands at 33.33 percent. The capital city's dam has a capacity of 141.4 million cubic metres, but at present level, it can last up to only 12 months without inflow.

The 2.3m cubic metres at Nnywane Dam has also dropped from 22.61 percent in the same period. It currently stands at 21.25 percent, enough for only three months without inflow. At the middle of last month, Molatedi Dam was 39.48 percent full. The 201m cubic metres dam has now dropped to 37.85 percent, which can last for 44 months without inflow.

Thankfully, recently improved rains have raised levels at a few dams, among them Bokaa Dam which has risen from 34.3 percent to 38.64 percent in just a few weeks. But with a capacity of 18.5 million cubic metres, Bokaa can last up to merely eight months without inflow.

Letsibogo Dam has increased from 38.5 percent a few weeks ago to 42.6 percent presently.  It has a capacity of 100 million cubic metres and can run up to 13 months without inflow. The 85m cubic metre Shashe Dam has risen from 65.32 percent to a remarkable 86.37 percent and can last an estimated 20 months without inflow.  Ntimbale Dam has also reached a remarkable 93.2 percent from 70.53 percent a few weeks ago. The dam has a holding capacity of only 26.5 million cubic metres and has about 22 months without inflow.

Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorological Services will release an updated seasonal forecast for the remaining three months of the rainy season tomorrow.  The first part of the summer was described as normal to above normal across the country.