Dam Synchronisation and Flood Releases - agriwaterpedia.info

DAM SYNCHRONISATION AND FLOOD RELEASES IN THE ZAMBEZI RIVER BASIN: ANNEX 4 OF FINAL REPORT
Project, location &
proposed usage
Contribution to flood
control
Planned power
production
Technical Feasibility
Environmental
considerations
Other considerations
and overall conclusion
Kafue Gorge Lower, 65
km upstream of
confluence of Kafue
river and Zambezi river,
and about 10 km
downstream of existing
Upper Kafue Gorge
Hydro Project
increases.
Contribution to flood
control by this project is
very limited due to small
size of the reservoir.
From 3.8 to 54.5 Mm 3
depending on which site
is chosen (Phiri et al.,
2009).
600 MW Technical feasibility
passed.
impact would be low to
moderate. However, it is
unlikely that operation
rules will not change. The
EIA that was done for the
Itezhi-tezhi hydropower
generation (Itezhi tezhi
Hydroelectric Project, Vol
IV EIA. Prepared by
Harza Engineering Co.)
was criticized by several
independent reviews (for
example, Douthwaite
2000) as inadequately
accounting for changes in
operation with the
installation of power
generation at Itezhitezhi.
The rapid and frequent
fluctuations in discharge
(and hence water levels)
caused by the peaking
power generation at the
proposed lower power
station has the potential
to seriously impact on the
ecological functioning of
the upper part of the 40-
odd km stretch of alluvial
channel from the bottom
of the gorge to the
Zambezi confluence as
Agreement signed
between Zambia and two
Chinese firms
(www.hydroworld.com).
Construction should start
in April 2011.
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