The Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) has issued a flood alert for residents and stakeholders in the 19 counties within the Tana and Athi River basins.
This follows the rising dam and river levels and sustained rainfall in the Upper and Mid Tana catchments.
“The Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) wishes to inform residents and stakeholders in the 19 counties within the Tana and Athi River basins about current rainfall, dam levels, and river flows as of 6 March 2026,” read part of a statement by TARDA.
In the statement, the authority urged communities to stay vigilant and take precautionary measures as water levels in key dams and rivers continue to rise, posing potential flood risks to downstream areas.
TADRA Warns of Floods in Counties Within the Tana and Athi River Basins
According to the Kenya Meteorological Department, rainfall remains enhanced in the Upper and Mid Tana catchments, particularly in Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Nairobi, and parts of Meru.
Also Read: Nairobi Floods: Driver Narrowly Escapes Death After Being Pulled from Submerged Car
The downstream counties, including Tana River and Garissa, may experience moderate local rainfall but remain highly vulnerable to inflows from upstream catchments.
While a short period of dry weather is expected later this month, heavy rains are anticipated to intensify toward late March and peak in April.
Meanwhile, the TARDA’s seven-day cumulative rainfall forecast indicates continued rainfall, with localized areas receiving over 50 mm of precipitation.
Rising Dam Levels Across the Cascade
TARDA reports that key dam levels along the Tana River cascade have shown a consistent increase, with Masinga Dam rising from 1051.41 m on March 2 to 1051.82 m by March 6. This reflects stronger inflows from upstream catchments following early-season rains.
Gitaru Dam also recorded a steady rise, while Kindaruma Dam remained relatively stable, indicating regulated releases within the cascade system.
Also Read: Kenya Met Lists Counties Set for Heavy Rains Throughout February
In addition, the Kamburu Dam experienced a slight drawdown to balance flows for power generation and reservoir management, while the water levels in Kiambere Dam rose modestly in response to upstream inflows and controlled releases.
At the Garissa Gauging Station, water levels in the Lower Tana Basin rose from 2.85 m on March 2 to 3.30 m on March 6, approaching the flood alert threshold of 3.50 m.
Counties likely to be affected by floods include:
- Murang’a
- Nyeri
- Kirinyaga
- Kiambu
- Nairobi
- Meru
- Embu
- Machakos
- Makueni
- Tharaka-Nithi
- Kitui
- Tana River
- Garissa
- Isiolo
- Laikipia
- Meru South
- Machakos
- Kajiado
- Nyandarua
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