Botswana project poses threat to Victoria Falls - Zim

http://gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8544:zim-govt-believes-botswana-project-poses-threat-to-victoria-falls&catid=19:northcast&Itemid=2

Botswana project poses threat to Victoria Falls - Zim

Written by OARABILE MOSIKARE
Tuesday, 25 January 2011 16:40
FRANCISTOWN: Botswana government�s planned irrigation scheme in the
Pandamatenga area is likely to fail, The Gazette has learnt.

Botswana has apparently notified other Southern African countries of
its intentions to extract some 30 cubic metres from the Chobe River
where it meets the Zambezi River for a planned irrigation scheme in
the Pandamatenga area for domestic water supply, according to the
Standard newspaper in Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwean Minister of Water Resources Development and Management,
Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo is quoted as saying the attractiveness of the
mighty Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, is
under threat if Botswana goes ahead with its planned extraction of
large volumes of water from Chobe River for the Pandamatenga area.

Sipepa-Nkomo said this would affect foreign currency inflows for both
Zimbabwe and Zambia pumped in by tourists who throng the falls
annually to witness the "smoke that thunders."

Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo reportedly told Parliament Zimbabwe was
considering Botswana's submission.

However, he noted that the project might have serious repercussions on
Victoria Falls, the largest curtain of water in the world, which is 1
708 metres wide. "They have notified us because the Zamcom (Zambezi
Watercourse Commission) agreement requires them to do that and we are
now considering their submissions," he said.

"Though more studies may be necessary, it looks like 30 cubic metres
is a lot of water which might deprive the attractiveness of the
Victoria Falls."

Victoria Falls, which is still preserved in its natural state,
continues to attract tourists as more than 14, 000 tourists were
recorded during the festive season.

The falls and the surrounding area has been declared National Parks
and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive
commercialization, the paper wrote.

The Minister said Mozambique had also notified Zimbabwean authorities
of its intention to construct Mphanda Nkuwa Dam which is set to
generate some 2275MW of electricity for the country.

The dam site, which is on the Zambezi River, lies between Cabora Bassa
dam and the City of Tete in Mozambique. Unlike the Botswana project
the Minister gave the Mozambique dam project thumbs up.

"This project is an advantage to Zimbabwe because we can import more
power from Mozambique," Sipepa-Nkomo said.
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