Pongolapoort Dam also taking strain
It is not only the dams showing the severity of the drought
WHILE much has been written about the drought and water woes in Richards Bay and Empangeni, northern Zululand is also suffering the serious effects of the ongoing drought.
Zululand’s largest dam, the Pongolapoort, is taking strain as the drought continues into spring.
The level of the dam, with a full capacity of 2267.1 million cubic metres, was standing at 38.7% on Monday (12 September), having dropped 0.3% from the previous week’s 39%.
To put these figures in perspective, last year this time the level was 55.1%.
It is not only the dams showing the severity of the drought.
The veld is bare and there is no grazing available for animals.
Feeding has been continuing, but many animals, domestic and wild, have perished owing to lack of food and water.
It is going take the farmers and rural populations a long time before their lives will return to normal.
Goedertrouw
Goedertrouw has shown little sign of recovering, with most of the rain still falling along the coast and not in the catchment area.
The dam has dropped to 17.5%, 0.2% lower than the previous week.
With the drought already gripping the region last year at this time, the level was then 37.5%.
This is the third year that KZN is expeiencing below average rainfall.
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