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dam-l Namibian dams low/LS
>From The Namibian
>
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> Dams are 'half full'
>
> HUGH ELLIS
>
> NAMIBIA'S dams are still at adequate levels, despite widely varying
>rainfall countrywide. However there has been a significant decrease in water
>levels from last season in many areas of the country.
>
> Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) said most dams around the country
>were holding between 30 and 50 per cent of their capacity.
>
> This time last season five dams held over 70 per cent of their
>capacity. This season only one, the Naute dam near Keetmanshoop, does.
>
> The dams serving Windhoek and surrounding areas contained 32 per cent
>of their combined capacity, compared to 50 per cent this time last season.
>
> The highest percentage water content in these areas was recorded at
>Von Bach dam near Okahandja which now contains 45 per cent of its full
>capacity.
>This has increased dramatically over the past week following several downpours
>in its catchment area.
>
> The Omatako dam - situated between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo and
>connected to Windhoek via the Eastern National Water Carrier - was an
>exception
>to the otherwise good situation, containing less than three per cent of its
>capacity, down from 20 per cent last season.
>
> Dams in the Gobabis area are approximately 33 per cent full, with the
>Otjivero Main dam the fullest at 55 per cent. Another dam serving the
>area, the
>Tilda Viljoen dam, currently holds 53 per cent of its capacity. High water
>levels in
>these two dams will, however, have to compensate for the fact that two
>other dams, the
>Otjivero Silt and Daan Viljoen, remain practically empty.
>
> According to the authorities, the water situation in the Gobabis area
>is still "acceptable" but not as good as this time last season when the
>Otjivero Main dam was nearly 88 per cent full and the region's dams held
>almost 52 per
>cent of their combined capacity.
>
> Although Keetmanshoop's Naute dam was holding the largest water capacity
> countrywide, there has also been a decrease since last season when it
>was 82 per cent full. In total the dams serving the South are 53,8 per
>cent full,
>a decrease of 26 per cent from last season. The Hardap dam near Mariental, the
>country's biggest
> dam, is about 48 per cent full.
>
> The Olushandja dam, which serves the Northern areas is looking
>slightly better than
> last season at 49 per cent full. Last year it was only 47 per cent full.
>
> Overall, dams in Namibia are 44,4 per cent full compared to 61,2 per
>cent last
> season.
>
>
>
> December 16, 1998
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Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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