The major project challenges are the timely sourcing of project finances, as well as achieving
consensus on the project with the project riparian states.
Piloting Synchronised and Conjunctive Operation of Dams for Flood and Drought Mitigation,
Improved Energy Generation and Livelihoods and Provision of Water for the Environment in the
Zambezi River Basin (Project GP‐10)
The project proponent is the ZAMCOM Secretariat with the dam operators of the Kariba, Itezhi‐Tezhi,
Kafue and Cahora Bassa dams being the lead and implementing agencies. The major dams of the
Zambezi River Basin have, to date, generally been operated independently, without regard to the
requirements of other stakeholders. Except for the Kafue dams, all the other dams have been
managed without any provision for environmental flows and other socio‐economic considerations for
downstream or other riparian users. Floods and droughts are part of the history of the Zambezi, with
and without dams. Dams impound floods and modify downstream flows and the lake environment.
However, releases can be managed to minimise upstream and downstream impacts (SADC 2011).
The need to widen the range of possible flow regimes in the Zambezi River system downstream and
upstream of major dams in order to provide for more uses/users was established during the Zambezi
Dam Synchronisation and Flood Releases Study (SADC 2011). The goals of system optimisation, water
security and benefit sharing were also discussed in detail. Synchronisation and conjunctive operation
are two terms that are closely associated with modern scientific trends in dam management to
achieve these goals. There is need to demonstrate that dam synchronisation, conjunctive operation
of dams and the introduction of environmental flows in the Zambezi River Basin is achievable and
beneficial. Dam operators and other stakeholders require support to set up and implement a
practical pilot project, which builds confidence in synchronised and conjunctive operation of dams,
while providing valuable lessons and experiences for improvements and future replication in other
SADC River Basins (SADC 2011).
One of the expected outcomes of the pilot project would be that the dam operators of the main
dams in the Zambezi River Basin will negotiate and agree to operate their dams for optimal
outcomes, which include addressing flood and drought management and environmental flow
requirements. Operating Kariba, the dams on the Kafue sub‐system and the Cahora Bassa Dam in a
conjunctive and synchronised manner would result in optimum hydropower production, dam safety,
supply of water to other users, including the environment, and reduced flood damage upstream and
downstream of these major dams.
The expected next stages for this pilot project would be:
Undertaking a feasibility study for the pilot project;
Implementing a pilot project involving Kariba, the Kafue sub‐system dams and Cahora Bassa;
Data capturing and meetings to support implementation activities. This should be considered
a short‐ to medium‐term intervention to allow testing of a wide range of scenarios, which
depend on weather/hydrological patterns;
Dam operators and power producers are fully engaged, make the necessary changes and
adopt the new modes of operation; and
Providing a risk management plan (including funds) to cover for unforeseen loss of storage,
power and/or revenue.
It is expected that the project will cost US$7 million over a period of seven years. The project would
start with the drafting of the ToR for the project in 2013, tendering for the consultancy assistance
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