Johannesburg: The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has announced that five sluice gates will remain open at the Vaal Dam to manage the increasing water levels, while outflows at Bloemhof Dam are set to be increased.
According to South African Government News Agency, the decision to keep the sluice gates open follows the opening of a fifth gate on Sunday morning, necessitated by heavy inflows into the Vaal Dam. The department stated that no changes in the dam’s outflow are planned at this time, but additional gates may be opened if inflows continue to rise. The DWS is closely monitoring the Vaal Dam and will adjust outflows as needed.
The Vaal Dam’s water storage level reached 111.11% on Monday morning, an increase from Sunday’s 109.3%. This rise is attributed to the continuous high inflow of water from the upper catchment, measured at 1002.25 m³/s. Similarly, the Bloemhof Dam’s storage level increased from 107% on Sunday to 112.08% on Monday morning. Consequently, the DWS plans to increase water releases at Bloemhof Dam at staggered intervals on Monday, from the current 1,400 m³/s to 1,550 m³/s at 12pm, 1,700 m³/s at 2pm, and finally to 1,850 m³/s at 4pm.
The department has warned that the controlled releases from the sluice gates could lead to the overtopping of riverbanks downstream, potentially affecting infrastructure in lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline. Residents living within the floodline of the Vaal River downstream of the Vaal and Bloemhof Dams are advised to evacuate to safer areas, removing valuable equipment, movable infrastructure, and livestock.
Additionally, one sluice gate remains open at Grootdraai Dam in Mpumalanga within the Upper Vaal River Catchment, upstream of the Vaal Dam, for water releases. On Monday morning, Grootdraai Dam recorded a 102% full supply capacity.
The department emphasized that these controlled water releases are part of dam safety measures to protect infrastructure and human life. The DWS continues to monitor water levels in the Vaal River System and shares hydrology reports and updates through various platforms to provide early warnings of potential flooding.