The latest Department of Water and Sanitation weekly state of reservoirs report of 03 July 2023 shows that the average dam levels in the Mpumalanga Province is stable with most listed dams in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni remaining unchanged and most dams in Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts recording slight declines.

According to the recent DWS weekly report, the average dam levels in the Mpumalanga Province remained stable and unchanged over the week at 98.1% which is higher than levels recorded at the same period last year. In terms of the Water Management Areas (WMAs), the report shows that the Olifants WMA slightly dropped from 90.1% to 90.0% which is higher than the 84.6% recorded last year and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped from 98.5% to 98.2% which is slightly lower than the 99.0% recorded last year.

Looking at water levels in terms of districts, Ehlanzeni slightly dropped from 99.9% to 99.8%, Gert Sibande remained unchanged at 96.3% and Nkangala recorded a slight improvement from 99.5% to 99.6%.

Most of the listed dams in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District remained unchanged in water levels, with only Driekoppies, Longmere and Ohrigstad dams recording some declines. According to the report, Drieoppies Dam dropped from 99.9% to 99.6%, Longmere from 100.4% to 100.2% and Ohrigstad dropped from 92.4% to 91.2%.

The listed dams that are stable and remained unchanged include Blyderivierpoort at 100.3%, Buffelskloof at 100.2%, Klipkopjes at 99.6%, Witklip at 100.0%, Kwena at 100.2%, Da Gama at 100.3% and Inyaka at 100.1%.

Grootdraai Dam is the only dam that recorded some improvement in water levels in the Gert Sibande District, recording an increase from 93.6% to 94.8%.

The listed dams that recorded declines in the Gert Sibande District include Nooitgedacht Dam from 98.6% to 97.8%, Vygeboom from 100.4% to 100.3%, Jericho from 88.6% to 87.5%, Westoe from 77.2% to 74.6%, Morgenstond from 99.4% to 99.3% and Heyshope from 100.1% to 100.0%.

Most of the listed dams in the Nkangala District recorded declines in water levels, with only Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo Dam recording an improvement from 98.6% to 99.1%.

The listed dams that recorded declines in Nkangala District include Witbank Dam drooping from 98.9% to 98.7%, Middelburg Dam dropping form 97.6% to 97.4% and Loskop Dam dropping from 100.5% to 100.3%.

Despite dam levels being stable in the Mpumalanga Province, the Department also reminds the public that South Africa is a water scarce country therefore it is everybody’s business and responsibility to conserve and wisely use the available water for water security as every drop counts and water has no substitute.

Source: Government of South Africa