Lowveld dams record mixed results
Some Lowveld dams recorded an increase while others have shown a drop in water levels.
A report on the weekly state of reservoirs in the Lowveld by the Department of Water and Sanitation showed five dams had recorded some improvements in water levels while the rest continued to drop.
The statement from the department said the dams that recorded some improvements include Driekoppies moving from 94.7% to 97.4%, Klipkopjes from 81.8% to 88.1%, Witklip from 83.6% to 84.3%, Primkop from 69.3% to 72.7% and Da Gama from 87.9% to 89.6%.
Listed dams that recorded declines in water volumes include Blyderivierpoort dropping from 80.8% to 79.3%, Buffelskloof from 57.2% to 54.3%, Longmere from 80.4% to 77.2%, Kwena from 77.1% to 75.5%, Inyaka from 76.3% to 75.9% and Ohrigstad from 36.2% to 33.8%.
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The report further shows that the improvement recorded in those dams did not make any positive impact in the provincial water storage. The average water levels in the listed dams in the province recorded a further drop from last week’s 74.6% to 74.4%.
In the water management areas, the Olifants dropped from 67.4% to 67.0%, but the Inkomati-Usuthu recorded a slight increase from 83.0% to 83.1% mainly due to the improvements in the dams in the Ehlanzeni and Gert Sibande district.
The department has urged the public to use water wisely, sparingly and in a more conservative manner considering the continuous drop in water volumes.
