Last week’s rain made a huge impact on SA’s dam levels

By
REFILWE MOKOMANE
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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) announced that the consistent rains that have fallen in large parts of South Africa have increased the dam levels. Here is your water and dam update for this week.

The DWS said that dam levels increased by 62.6% across the country after week-long rainy weather in different parts of South Africa. This has come at the time when there was panic that the heat wave might negatively impact the water situation.
 
The South African Weather Services predicted heavy showers the whole of last week until the weekend, raising fears of possible floods in some areas. The government issued flood warnings and urged communities to be careful of localised flash floods. February and March are traditional wet months in South Africa where the last rains of the season fall in certain parts of the country.
 
Residents of the Eastern Cape breathed a sigh of relief as intermittent rains raised their dam levels from 58% to 59.5% last week. However, the drought-stricken Kouga Dam continued to slide from 49.2% to 49.1%. Loerie Dam also went down from 44.1% to 44.0% last week. Makhanda Dam continued with its perilous slide as the local municipality began tinkering water to locals with water to alleviate the situation.
 
In Western Cape dam levels decreased by 1.5% from 46.7% to 45.2%. Voelvlei Dam decreased from 73.2% to 71.5% while Theewaterskloof – one of the main six dams that supply the City of Cape Town – also decreased from 45.3% to 44.1%. Berg River also decreased from 81% to 78.8%.

The Free State Province dam levels remain unchanged at 70.1%. Last year during the same time they were recorded at 64.9%.The North West Province was at 58.1% last week and has now decreased to 58%. Recordings during the same time last year were at 67.5%. North West dam Disaneng is at 37.1% and Setumo is at 56.8%.

Northern Cape Province recorded 68% dam levels, a one per cent increase from 67% from the previous week. Spitskop Dam in the Northern Cape is at 37.7%.

The Limpopo Province is at 61.2% up from 60.2%. Magoebaskloof Dam in Tzaneen and Hans Merensky in Phalaborwa recorded 100.3% and 100.8%, respectively while Flag Boshielo in Polokwane registered 78.6%.

In Mpumalanga Province dam levels increased from 68.8% to 69.5%. Witbank Dam recorded 88.6% while Loskop and Middleburg dams recorded 87.2% and 94.3% respectively.

With 11 182.8 cubic metres, Free State managed to store the highest amount of water in its reservoirs this past week. The province’s dam levels were recorded at 70.1%.

Here is your weekly dam update: 

  • The Vaal River System consisting of 14 dams serving mainly Gauteng Sasol and Eskom is at 97.9%.
  • The Cape Town Dams System consisting of six dams serving mainly City of Cape Town this week is at 43.7%.
  • The Eastern Cape Dam System is at 61.2% while KwaZulu-Natal sits at 58.1%.

Here are the latest dam percentages throughout the country:

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