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Chapter 2 - Zambia’s Changing Environment
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Kariba Dam in Siavonga, Southern Province
Padegimas, B., 2012
The Kariba Dam was constructed between 1956 and 1960 and created one
of the largest artificial lakes in the world, Lake Kariba.
The double curvature concrete arch dam wall stands at a height of 128
metres above the Zambezi river bed and spans 617 metres across the Kariba
gorge. The lake stretches for 280 kilometres, covering an area of over 5,500
sq kilometres. The dam can hold back 180 cubic kilometres of water.
The dam wall is shared by the Kariba North Bank Power Station on the
Zambian side and the Kariba South Bank Power Station on the Zimbabwe
side. These two powers stations generate a total of 1,320 MW of electricity.
The electricity output at Kariba will increase by 600 MW once the expansion
on both the South Bank and North Bank is completed.
Siavonga Tourism and Business Development Association, 2012
Box 2.2 Kariba Dam Hydro-Power Station
Mining and quarryng
Service
Construction
Trade
Finance and property
Agricultural
Inadequately de ned
Transport
Manufacturing
Energy and water
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percentage
Figure 2.7 Sectoral power consumption
ERB, 2006