Water levels are rising rapidly in the Vaal Dam as a result of heavy inflows from the upper catchments, as such the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will be opening the fifth sluice gate at 14h30 and the sixth at and 16:00. Therefore, by afternoon, six sluice gates will be open to manage the water inflow of 2056.50 cubic metres per second (m3/s) of water flowing into the dam.
At Bloemhof Dam, water outflows are also being increased incrementally at different times from 800 m3/s to 1050 m3/s at 09:00; 1300 m3/s at 11:00; 1550 m3/s at 13:00; 1800 m3/s at 15:00 and to 2000 m3/s by 17:00.
These adjustments are necessary to manage the continuous rising inflows and safe operation of the Vaal and Bloemhof Dams which were sitting at 113.54% and 107.30% by midday. There are potential plans to further increase outflows from both dams tomorrow.
One sluice gate remains opened at Grootdraai Dam, and the storage capacity is at 105.71%, with inflows of 141.72 m³/s.
In the Orange River, the Gariep and the Vandekloof Dams are currently sitting at 107.13% and 105.3% respectively and overspilling.
The controlled and uncontrolled water releases at all these dams will lead to overtopping of riverbanks downstream of the Orange and the Vaal Rivers, resulting in flooding of settlements that are in the lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
People living within the floodline downstream of the Vaal and Bloemhof Dams and have had to evacuate should continue to avoid the flooded areas as the river catchment remains oversaturated.