Operational Inflow Forecasting System (IFS) for Kariba Reservoir

The recently developed Kariba IFS uses satellite rainfall measurements and numerical weather forecasts, to run a hydrological model that provides short-term and seasonal flow forecasts in daily time-steps. Thus, the Kariba IFS provides:

• Near real-time satellite rainfall data in subbasins
• Weather forecast data (quantitative rainfall and air temperature data) in subbasins
• Short-term (2 week look ahead) flow forecast at key locations
• Seasonal (several months outlook) flow forecast at key locations
• Inflow and water level forecasts for Kariba reservoir

The operational inflow forecasts provided by Kariba IFS help water resources managers with the sustainable operation of Kariba reservoir in years of drought and in years with high floods. This allows optimal water resources planning, which is becoming increasingly important in the Zambezi basin due to the impacts of climate change.