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Vaal Dam. Picture: The reservoir
The Vaal Dam achieved a significant milestone on Friday as water levels reached exactly 100% capacity, marking the first time the reservoir has been completely full since 2023.
This development comes after steady rainfall throughout the week pushed levels from 97.73% on Wednesday to complete capacity by Friday morning.
The current water levels represent a remarkable recovery compared to earlier this year when the dam had plummeted to below 30% capacity.
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly provincial dam report, the Vaal Dam stood at 94.2% on Monday, up significantly from 83.5% the previous week and 67.0% during the same period last year.
The Reservoir, a Water Resource Information Centre for the Catchment Management Forums of the Upper Vaal Water Management Area, confirmed that as of 7 March 2025, the Vaal Dam has reached 100% capacity with an inflow of 315.2 cubic meters per second and an outflow of 16.8 cubic meters per second.
Officials said this week that there were plans to release valves so outflow would increase to 60 cubic meters per second, and drop levels in the dam again.
The Vaal Barrage level currently stands at 7.6 meters with an outflow of 89.6 cubic meters per second, while the water temperature is measured at 23.9 degrees Celsius.
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Midvaal councillor Pieter Swart, who provides daily updates on the dam’s levels, also highlighted the significance of this achievement.
“Steady rainfall filled the dam, bringing relief to communities and farmers. It’s a key milestone for water security in the region,” Swart stated.
The councillor said the last time the dam reached such levels it caused flooding in the Vaal River when 12 sluices were opened.
He described how “floodwaters overwhelming homes and fields” as “a stark reminder of the dam’s power.”
ALSO READ: Will the Vaal Dam overflow? Here’s what will happen if it reaches 100% capacity
Despite the positive news, there have been concerns about potential overflow risks.
However, officials have clarified that such worries are largely unfounded due to the dam’s design.
“The Vaal Dam doesn’t ‘overflow’ in the way some other dams will do. It makes use of sluice gates to release water in a controlled manner, once the dam reaches 100%.” Swart explained.
Water expert Carin Bosman reinforced this point, emphasising that the concept of “overflow risk” is technically misplaced.
“The dam is designed to overflow so there is no risk associated with the overflow. The risk of overflow is not a risk. The dam is designed to overflow,” Bosman stated.
Bosman had previously told The Citizen that overflow events typically occur “towards the middle end of March, beginning of April, and that’s the dams designed to handle overflow.”
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Despite reaching full capacity, which stands at 2.561 billion cubic meters, authorities continue to emphasise the importance of responsible water usage.
Swart underscored this point, stating, “Though the dam is full, water conservation remains vital. Weather patterns are unpredictable, and droughts could return.
“Residents must use water wisely to prevent future shortages.”
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