Vaal Dam Levels Stay Steady at 107% as Inflows Ease

Water levels at the Vaal Dam have remained impressively stable over the past three weeks, consistently hovering just above 107%, even after April’s heavy rains and flooding concerns. On Wednesday, the dam stood at 107.69% — a sign that conditions are gradually returning to normal.

According to the latest data from The Reservoir, a water resource monitoring center for the Upper Vaal Water Management Area, the dam is currently receiving inflows of 77.3 cubic meters per second, while releasing only 16.8 m³/s — a controlled and reduced outflow to maintain safe levels.

No Immediate Flood Risk

While the Vaal Dam is still over capacity, it has stayed below the critical 120% mark for weeks, easing fears of potential flooding downstream. The Department of Water and Sanitation has been closely monitoring the system and using river valves for controlled releases. Currently, only one river valve remains open. No sluice gates are in use.

Consistent Three-Week Trend

Midvaal councillor Pieter Swart confirmed in a Tuesday update that the dam has held around the 107% mark for nearly three weeks. “This high percentage reflects a consistent trend, as seen in the graph tracking levels from late April to mid-May,” Swart said.

Tuesday’s reading matched Monday’s precisely at 107.56%. While inflows decreased slightly from 84.0 m³/s on Monday to 80.1 m³/s on Tuesday, outflows were significantly reduced from 35.2 m³/s to just 17.0 m³/s.

Downstream Conditions

Further down the Vaal River at the Vaal Barrage, water levels remain manageable at 7.5 meters, with an outflow of 22.6 m³/s and water temperatures at 14.7°C. The reduced discharge rates suggest continued progress in stabilizing the overall system.

What’s Next?

With the current inflow-to-outflow balance and continued monitoring, water authorities appear confident the system is under control. No major disruptions or risks have been reported, and regular updates are expected to keep communities informed.

{Source: The Citizen}

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