Last Updated 2 weeks ago

Great Ruaha River — Machine Zero-Flow Confirmation | 4 October 2026

Satellite monitoring identifies 29 September 2026 as the first combined zero-flow candidate at ParkHQ/Msembe Bridge. Repeated observations on 4 October 2026 support machine confirmation that continuous surface-water flow had ceased.

Independent downstream monitoring supports this decision. Between 29 September and 14 October, the conservative Sentinel-2 water detector recorded a reduction from 504 to 312 water pixels (−38%). Spatial comparison shows that the remaining detected water occupies only locations already classified as water on 29 September, consistent with shrinking, disconnected pools rather than renewed through-flow.

Official machine ZFO confirmation date: 4 October 2026.

This is a satellite-based machine determination; field verification remains outstanding.

On September 24, 2026 sustained flow at Ruaha Park HQ

Although declining conditions have been system-assessed since 4 September 2026, observations published by local contributors continued to show sustained flow on 24 September. “System-assessed” means that the hydrological state was derived by the Ruaha Flow Monitoring System from satellite observations and governed processing rules, rather than reported directly by a person.