The Department of Water and Sanitation’s Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting System is, for the first time in four (4) days, showing a decrease in water inflow from upstream the Vaal River into the Vaal Dam.

Despite this forecast, the 12 opened sluice gates will remain open and the water outflow at Bloemhof Dam be kept at 3 200 cubic metres per second in order the allow the water levels in the dams to be at its required capacity. The Vaal dam is currently sitting at 119% full while Bloemhof Dam is at 109.67%.

Mr Leonardo Manus, the Acting Director-General of Water Infrastructure at DWS said the dam level is still too high and needs to be lowered.

“We will not be reducing the outflow by closing the gates as yet because the dam level is still too high and needs to be lowered quickly to open more flood absorption capacity”, Mr Manus said.

The Department will also maintain water discharge at Bloemhof Dam at 3 200 cubic metres per second because its level is continuing to rise sharply because of the volume of water coming from upstream the Vaal River and into the Lower Vaal System.

Acting DDG said there will be no interruption of the water outflow at the dam because the analysis indicate that it will start to level off and decrease in approximately two days. “The water outflow will be reviewed in few days as it will be determined by the inflow into the river system, but as of now the water levels are still high and the water discharge from the dam will continue”.

The Department still calls on the communities residing closer to the Vaal and Orange River System to exercise caution as the water levels remains high due to the continuing heavy rains.

For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935.

Source: Government of South Africa