Managing Lake Kariba sustainably: threats and challenges

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to communicate and share experiences with stakeholders on how the sustainability threats and challenges associated with managing Lake Kariba and the Kariba Dam wall are being managed by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA).

Design/methodology/approach

The case study area is Lake Kariba and Kariba Dam wall located in the mid‐Zambezi river basin. The data and information for the case study is from ZRAs own records.

Findings

The case study concludes that the threats and challenges so far experienced have been mitigated adequately with management programmes and tools having been put in place. However, a lot still needs to be done to improve the socio‐economic living conditions of the displaced Tonga/Korekore people.

Originality/value

Lake Kariba was created in the late 1950s to provide water primarily for hydro‐power production. However, this water resource now serves many users and has its sustainability threats; invasive weeds, water pollution, cyclic drought and flood events, the competing uses and multiple legislative provisions. The Kariba Dam wall, as an engineering structure, has its own sustainability challenges; effects of alkaline aggregate reaction, the spillway plunge pool stability and the general ageing of the dam structure. The Tonga/Korekore people, who were displaced on both banks of the Zambezi River when Kariba Dam was built, still feel short‐changed. Stakeholders will be able to associate and relate to similar threats, challenges and experiences and use the management solutions being applied at Kariba. The opinions and conclusions drawn in this case study are those of the author.

Citation

Tumbare, M.J. (2008), "Managing Lake Kariba sustainably: threats and challenges", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 19 No. 6, pp. 731-739. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777830810904948