Since the opening of the fifth sluice gate yesterday morning due to the heavy inflows into the Vaal Dam, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will keep all the five sluice gates opened and there will be no changes in the dam’s outflow which is currently at 760 mᵌ/s. However, should there be increased inflows into Vaal Dam, it may result in additional gates being opened. The DWS will continue to monitor Vaal Dam and effect changes on the outflow as and when necessary.
The water storage level at Vaal dam is at 111.11% this morning, rising from yesterday’s 109.3% full supply capacity. This is due to the continuous high inflow of water at 1002.25 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s) from the upper catchment. Bloemhof Dam storage level has increased from 107% yesterday to 112.08% full supply capacity this morning. As a result, water releases at the dam will be increased at different times today and will be staggered from the current 1 400 m3/s to 1 550 m³/s today at 12:00; to 1 700 m³/s at 14:00; and the last increase will be 1 850 m³/s at 16h00.
The current controlled water releases by the five sluice gates, may lead to possible overtopping of riverbanks downstream, and this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
People living within the floodline of the Vaal River downstream of the Vaal Dam and the Bloemhof Dam should evacuate and move to a safe area, and remove valuable equipment, movable infrastructure and livestock. At Grootdraai Dam located in Mpumalanga in the Upper Vaal River Catchment, upstream of the Vaal Dam, the one sluice gate remains open to enable water releases. The Dam was recorded this morning to be at 102% full supply capacity. The Department is implementing these necessary controlled water releases at the dams as part of dam safety precautions to safeguard the infrastructure and protect human life. The DWS is continuously monitoring the water levels in the Vaal River System. Through various platforms, the department continuously shares hydrology reports and provides regular updates regarding the water levels in the dams, with recommendations in order to provide early warnings in case of flooding.
