Source: Rains damage 30 community dams – herald
A TOTAL of 30 community dams have burst their walls across Zimbabwe since the onset of the rainy season and rehabilitation works would require close to US$67 million, a Cabinet minister has said.
While heavy rains have brought relief on crops and pastures, communities have lamented destruction of critical public infrastructure such as roads and bridges and in some cases loss of life.
In Nkayi District in Matabeleland North province, Sombengo Dam in Ward Nine and Fako Dam in Ward 26 in Somthanyelo area recently burst their walls resulting in runaway water destroying crops in downstream fields.
In Bulilima District, Matabeleland South, a dam built recently by the community was also damaged while some dams are reported to be at risk due to increased inflows.
In an interview in Bulawayo yesterday, Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, said work on rehabilitating the dams will start at the end of the rainy season.
“The rains have been good for crops and livestock but the unfortunate aspect is that they have also been destructive. We have lost human lives, we have lost infrastructure and among that infrastructure we have lost dams,” he said.
“Cumulatively, we have lost just under 30 dams this season and are worth about US$67 million.”
Dr Masuka said so far the water bodies that have been lost are smaller community dams with the responsibility of repairing them resting with their permit holders.
He said the ministry will bring together the involved stakeholders to map a way forward.
“The dams that we have lost fortunately have been the smaller dams, which have been bridged. The responsibility for repairs and maintenance lies with the permit holders,” he said.
“We are beginning to come up with a programme, Zinwa and the Department of Water to see how we can have the catchment councils and sub catchment councils come together so that beyond this rainfall season we have a programme of periodic repairs and maintenance of the dams,” he said.
Dr Masuka said the country has 10 600 dams, which play a critical role as the Government moves ahead with plans to climate proof agriculture.
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