The Vaal Dam and Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) levels remain high as the rainy season approaches, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) weekly dam report.

The Vaal Dam decreased marginally from 105.0% to 103.6% this week. Despite the reduction, the department has kept the dam above full capacity to ensure it remains full until mid-spring.

Maintaining high storage levels is part of the department’s water supply strategy and drought resilience measures. According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), early to mid-spring rainfall is expected to be above normal in the eastern and south-eastern regions, with below-normal rainfall likely elsewhere.

“The IVRS continues to demonstrate overall stability, though it recorded a slight decrease from 98.7% last week to 98.0%,” said the DWS.

Other key dams reported changes: The Grootdraai Dam dropped from 96.6% to 95.4%; the Sterkfontein Dam remained steady at 99.0% and the Bloemhof Dam decreased from 101.2% to 100.5%.

The Lesotho Highlands water levels returned mixed movements: The Katse Dam improved slightly from 91.4% to 91.5%, while the Mohale Dam declined from 90.4% to 88.3%.

To ensure readiness for the rainy season, the DWS has implemented flood preparedness measures, including strengthened governance, enhanced real-time data collection and improved co-ordination with disaster management.

The department emphasises the importance of high dam storage levels to guarantee water security and drought resilience while preparing for potential floods.