Dam levels down
Water levels in Zululand dams expected to start dropping even faster as the summer rains diminish.
WATER users, be they farmers, industrialists or property owners, are going to have to work carefully with water this winter as the Zululand storage dams are down on last year’s figures.
This is owing to the much lower than average summer rainfall over the region.
Most dams at this time last year were almost 100% full, but this year they are only in the high 80s.
According to the Department of Water Affairs, figures taken on Monday, 12 May show the Goedertrouw Dam (Phobane Lake) outside eShowe is standing at 82.4%, almost 1% less than the previous week and 17% less than last year, when it was at 99.9% capacity.
Hluhluwe Dam shows the same trend at 89.8% this week, 90.6% last week and 96% full last year.
The Klipfontein Dam on the White Mfolozi River is faring better with its level standing at 97.1%, 98.7% last week compared to last year when it was overflowing at 100.6%.
The largest dam in the region, the Pongolapoort Dam (Jozini) on the Phongolo River, with a full storage capacity of 2 267.1 million cubic metres, has not shown such a dramatic decrease compared to last year.
Standing at 80.1% this week and 80.8% last week, the capacity is only 2% down on last year’s figure 83.1%.
These figures do not show a promising picture for the coming months and they are expected to start dropping even faster as the summer rains diminish.
