Namibia's dam levels up after March rains

AllAfrica.com via the Namibian: Widespread rains over the catchment areas of Namibia's main water reservoirs have boosted dam levels over the past month. While dam levels in the east and the south of the country are now higher than at the same time last year, dams providing water to the central areas of Namibia hold less water than a year ago. The biggest dam providing water to the central areas of the country, the Swakoppoort Dam near Okahandja, has received substantial inflows over the past month, though, lifting its level to close to what it was a year back.

The country's biggest dam, the Hardap Dam near Mariental, was filled to 73,5% of its capacity at the start of this week, after an inflow of more than 85 million cubic metres of water during the previous week. A year ago, the Hardap Dam's level stood at 44,5% of its 294 million cubic metres capacity.

The Hardap Dam now holds almost twice as much water as five weeks ago, when it was 37% full. The country's second largest reservoir, the Naute Dam near Keetmanshoop, was filled to 72,3% of its capacity of 83 million cubic metres of water at the start of this week. A year ago, its level stood at 72,2%. Five weeks ago the Naute Dam was 56% full.

The Swakoppoort Dam's level was measured at 63,7% of its capacity of 63 million cubic metres of water at the start of the week. A year ago, the dam was still 66% full, while its level had fallen to 45% of its capacity five weeks ago....

The Hardap dam in Namibia, shot by Robert Raderschatt (Robert.raderschatt), Wikimedia Commons, public domain