THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has reported a steady increase in water levels at Lake Kariba. 

As of January 6, 2025, the lake’s water level stands at 475.87 meters as compared to 477.28 meters last year.

This surge is attributed to sustained rainfall within the reservoir and surrounding catchment areas.

According to an update made available to ZANIS in Lusaka by the Zambezi River Authority, Lake Kariba operates optimally between 475.50m and 488.50m with a 0.70m freeboard.

The usable live storage for power generation was recorded at 12.32% in 2024 and is currently at 2.61%.

Additionally, in 2024, the usable live storage volume was at 7.98 billion cubic meters (Bmc) and it is now at 1.69 billion cubic meters this year.