Vaal Dam. Picture: Supplied.
The Grootdraai Dam has exceeded its capacity, reaching 103.87% as of Wednesday, while the Vaal Dam shows a slight decline in levels compared to previous measurements.
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Vaal Dam stood at 61.3% this week, down from 61.7% last week and notably lower than the 70.7% recorded during the same period last year.
The Reservoir, an information centre for the Upper Vaal Water Management Area, reported that as of Thursday, the Vaal Dam’s water level has shown a slight decrease, currently standing at 61.21%.
The Grootdraai Dam’s current overflow situation shows a slight increase from last week’s 102.5% to its present 103.87%.
“Grootdraai Dam level at 103.87% as outflow exceeds inflow,” reports The Reservoir, adding: “Despite the high capacity, no rainfall was recorded over the past 24 hours. According to the latest figures, the dam is currently experiencing an inflow of 35.29 cubic meters per second (m³/s) while the outflow stands significantly higher at 64 m³/s.”
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Recent measurements from 6 February at the Vaal Dam show an inflow of 117.1m³/s while maintaining an outflow of 16.8m³/s.
The downstream Vaal Barrage is operating at a level of 7.5m with an outflow of 15.1m³/s, while water temperature remains consistent at 24.6°C.
The previous day’s readings indicated a reduced inflow of 64.3m³/s, demonstrating the variable nature of water flow into the system.
Earlier in the week, Monday’s measurements showed further variations with inflow at 40.4m³/s, while maintaining consistent outflow rates.
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Despite the year-on-year decline in the Vaal Dam’s levels, the current 61.3% represents a significant recovery from levels below 30% recorded late last year.
This improvement can be attributed to heavy regional rainfall and strategic water management decisions, including additional inflow received from the Grootdraai Dam when it opened two sluice gates in January.
Currently, as The Reservoir reports, “one sluice gate remains open at 0.5 meters” to manage the overflow situation.
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“Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, ensuring controlled releases to prevent excessive flooding,” noted The Reservoir.
The information centre added, “Residents and farmers relying on the dam’s water supply are advised to stay informed about any further updates or changes in water management strategies.”
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