LIMCOM conducts post-flood hydrometric assessment

Summary

This post-flood hydrometric assessment is critical as it will help Member States to design resilient systems and equipment capable of withstanding increasing flood intensities, while also supporting river connectivity and the implementation of environmental flows (E-flows).

A post-flood hydrometric assessment has been conducted to evaluate the extent of damage caused to monitoring equipment by the widespread floods of January 2026 that affected the Limpopo Basin and neighbouring river systems.

The floods left many communities vulnerable and displaced thousands as well as caused severe damage to critical infrastructure, particularly in Mozambique and South Africa.

The assessment that was undertaken upstream in South Africa from 11 to 14 May 2026 focused on key gauge stations used for flood forecasting. These include the Olifants River, Balule Bridge, Mamba Weir, and Mica Stations, Letaba River, Black Heron and Engelhard Wiers, Shingwedzi, Luvuvhu and Mutale rivers within the Kruger National Park and Limpopo River at the Beitbridge Weir.

This post-flood hydrometric assessment is critical as it will help Member States to design resilient systems and equipment capable of withstanding increasing flood intensities, while also supporting river connectivity and the implementation of environmental flows (E-flows).

The assessment was led by the LIMCOM Secretariat, together with representatives from the South African Department of Water and Sanitation (Mpumalanga and Limpopo regions), officials from Mozambique’s National Directorate of Water Resources Management (DNGRH) and the Regional Administration of Waters in the South (Ara-Sul).

Technical experts from the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) were also part of the team.

LIMCOM and the GLTFCA share a common geographical landscape and confront similar challenges, hence deeper cooperation is essential to manage shared resources in the Limpopo Basin.

The assessment was undertaken as part of the project “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin,” which seeks to achieve integrated, cross-sectoral, ecosystem-based management of the Limpopo River.

LIMCOM is implementing the project in partnership with the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA), with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).