Mozambique: Dams of Pequenos Libombos and Massingir to increase water discharges – AIM

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Mozambique: Dams of Pequenos Libombos and Massingir to increase water discharges – AIM

1:30 CAT | 10 Oct 2022

Image: Notícias

The Southern Regional Water Administration (ARA-Sul) warns that it will gradually increase discharges from the Pequenos Libombos and Massingir Dams, from 12 October until mid-December, in preparation for the 2022/23 rainy season.

ARA-Sul explains its decision, in a press release, saying that “latest forecasts indicate normal rainfall with a tendency to above-normal”.

Thus, an increase in the volume of runoff is expected in the main river basins, considering the prevailing hydrological situation of the main rivers and dams, high storage volumes in Mozambique and upstream countries.

Therefore, says ARA-Sul, in order to create storage capacity, minimise the impact of floods and maintain the operational safety of the reservoirs Pequenos Libombos Dam will gradually increase discharge of water from 6.03m3/s to 20m3/s while Massingir Dam 44.23m3/s to 100m3/s.

This plan may be subject to changes depending on future inflows of water.

The Umbeluzi is the main source of drinking water for the Greater Maputo Metropolitan Area, and this must bring a sigh of relief from Maputo water supply officials, since in recent years the problem with the Pequenos Libombos reservoir has been too little water, not too much.

ARA-Sul warns that with the discharges, “a slight increase in the levels of the Umbelúzi and Limpopo rivers is foreseen, which may affect small agricultural fields located in the riverbeds”.

Therefore, ARA-Sul calls the public in general to observe precautionary measures, avoid crossing the rivers, avoid activities in the riverbeds during the rainy season and also recommends the monitoring of hydro-climatological information disseminated by competent authorities.

Source: AIM