Vaal Dam. Picture: Supplied.
The Vaal Dam is on the brink of exceeding 61% capacity for the first time in nearly a month, with current levels reaching 61.95%.
The strategic reservoir, which has maintained levels around 61% since 20 January, has shown promising signs of recovery after dropping below 25% in 2024 — its lowest point last year.
The Department of Water and Sanitation reported that the dam stood at 61.3% on 3 February.
This was an increase from 61.7% the previous week. However, these figures still fall short of the same period in 2023, when the dam was at 70.7%.
Recent data from The Reservoir shows encouraging inflow rates.
“As of Wednesday, the Vaal Dam’s water level depicted a slight increase, with inflow at 169.1m³/s and outflow at 16.8m³/s,” the information centre stated.
This marks a significant improvement from the previous Wednesday, 5 February, when inflow was 64.3m³/s with the same outflow of 16.8m³/s.
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Detailed monitoring shows fluctuations throughout the week.
On Monday, the dam level was 61.58%, with an inflow of 135.1m³/s and a consistent outflow of 16.8m³/s.
The Vaal Barrage readings have remained stable at 7.5m throughout the period, though outflow rates have varied significantly.
Wednesday’s measurements showed an outflow of 66.9m³/s, a substantial increase from Monday and the previous Wednesday’s rate of 15.1m³/s.
Water temperatures at the Barrage have shown minimal variation, moving from 24.9°C on Monday to 24.4°C by Wednesday.
ALSO READ: Vaal Dams hit 50% capacity mark as heavy rainfall boosts SA’s dams
The dam’s recovery can be attributed to two main factors: heavy regional rainfall and strategic water management decisions.
A notable contribution came from the Grootdraai Dam, which released additional water through two sluice gates in January.
The Vaal Dam, which has a full storage capacity of 2.5 billion cubic meters, continues to be closely monitored.
Management of these water resources remains crucial for the region, as the dam is a vital water source for millions of residents and businesses in the surrounding areas.
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