Kariba Dam

The Kariba Dam is a very tall wall.

It sits on the Zambezi river. The dam holds back a huge lake. This lake is called Lake Kariba.

The dam makes power for many homes. It sends power to two lands. These lands are Zambia and Zimbabwe.

When the dam was built, many animals lived there. People had to move to new homes. Workers also helped save 6,000 large animals.

Sometimes the water in the lake gets low. This can make it hard to make power. People are working to fix the dam now. This will help keep the power flowing.

The Kariba Dam is a large concrete wall.

It sits in the Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi River. This dam holds back a massive lake called Lake Kariba.

People built the dam between 1955 and 1959. It was a very big job. During the work, 86 workers lost their lives. The dam helps make electricity for Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each country has its own power station near the dam. The station in Zimbabwe is called Kariba South. It has been working since 1960. People even added more power to it in 2018.

Building the dam changed the land. About 57,000 Tonga people had to move to new homes. Between 1958 and 1961, workers saved 6,000 large animals. This was part of Operation Noah.

Sometimes, the water levels get very low. This can make it hard to make power. Engineers also worry about the dam's base. Water from the dam can wear away the rock. This is called erosion. Workers are now fixing the dam. This work should finish by 2025. It will help keep the dam strong and safe.

The Kariba Dam is a huge concrete arch dam. It sits in the Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi river basin.

This dam holds back water to create Lake Kariba. The lake is very large and stretches for a long way. This dam is very important for the region. It provides electricity to many people in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This dam works by using moving water to make power. There are two power stations near the dam. One station is on the north bank in Zambia. The other station is on the south bank in Zimbabwe. The south station has been working since 1960. It uses generators to turn the water's movement into electricity.

Building the dam was a very big project. It was ordered by the Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This was a group of lands within the British Empire. Engineers from groups like Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners led the work. The first stage of construction happened between 1955 and 1959. It cost $135,000,000 for that first part. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened the dam on 17 May 1960.

The dam changed the lives of many people and animals. About 57,000 Tonga people had to move to new homes. This happened because the lake filled the land where they lived. Between 1958 and 1961, people ran Operation Noah. They rescued around 6,000 large animals from the rising water.

Today, engineers work hard to keep the dam safe. They worry about erosion, which is when water wears away rock. The water from the dam has carved a hole in the rock below. This could make the dam's foundation weak. A big project to fix the dam started in 2017. This work should be finished by 2025. It will help make sure the dam stays strong for a long time.

The Kariba Dam is a massive double curvature concrete arch dam. It is located in the Kariba Gorge within the Zambezi river basin. This structure sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. By blocking the flow of the Zambezi River, the dam creates Lake Kariba. This reservoir is a vital source of electricity for much of Southern Africa.

This dam generates power through hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity is the process of using moving water to create electrical energy. The dam features two separate power stations on opposite sides of the river. The Kariba South station belongs to Zimbabwe and has operated since 1960. It originally used six generators with a capacity of 150 megawatts each. The Kariba North station belongs to Zambia and began operating in 1976. This station uses four generators with a capacity of 100 megawatts each.

Construction of the dam was a complex and expensive undertaking. It was ordered by the Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This was a federal colony within the British Empire. The project was led by consulting engineers from several firms. These included Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners and Coyne et Bellier. The first stage of construction took place between 1955 and 1959. This initial phase cost $135,000,000 and focused on the South power cavern.

Political issues delayed the completion of the entire project. The addition of the Kariba North Power cavern was not finished until 1977. The total cost for the entire project reached $480,000,000. Construction was also dangerous for the people building it. During the building process, 86 construction workers lost their lives. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother officially opened the dam on 17 May 1960.

The creation of the lake caused major environmental and social changes. The rising water forced the resettlement of about 57,000 Tonga people. These people lived along the Zambezi on both sides of the river. Many people have different views on the aid provided to them. Some writers, like Jacques Leslie, described it as a major disaster. To save wildlife, people started Operation Noah from 1958 to 1961. They rescued around 6,000 large animals from the rising waters.

Engineers have recently faced serious concerns about the dam's structural integrity. The water from the spillway has caused erosion on the bedrock. This erosion carved a large crater that undercuts the dam's foundations. If the dam were to fail, a wall of water could reach the Mozambique border in eight hours. This event could affect 3.5 million people and 40% of southern Africa's hydroelectric capacity. To prevent this, the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project began in 2017. This project aims to fix the plunge pool and the spillway gates by 2025.

Climate and water levels also impact how the dam works. In 2016, water levels dropped to just 12% of the reservoir's capacity. Low rainfall and heavy water use can cause power shortages. In early 2023, an energy crisis caused levels to fall to 1% capacity. Because of these challenges, some suggest building a 250 MW floating solar plant. This would help make the electricity supply more reliable for the region.