Lake Kariba is steadily losing water as the dry season continues, but the latest figures show the reservoir is still in a much stronger position than it was this time last year.
The Zambezi River Authority says the lake stood at 481.49 metres on August 31, with usable storage at 43 percent.
That is down from 481.71 metres recorded on August 18, showing a gradual decline over the past two weeks.
But the bigger picture becomes clearer when this year's figures are compared with last year's.
On August 31, 2025, Lake Kariba stood at just 478.31 metres, with usable storage at 19.59 percent.
This means the lake is currently more than three metres higher and has more than twice the usable storage it had on the same date last year.
ZRA says the current decline is in line with the seasonal hydrological trend expected at this time of the year.
The Kariba reservoir is designed to operate between 475.50 metres and 488.50 metres for hydropower generation, with the latest level remaining within that operating range.
For now, the numbers show a lake that is declining gradually, but with significantly more water in storage than it had a year ago.