Two sluice gate at the Vaal Dam are opened, 28 December 2021, after water levels at the dam reached 107,6 percent. The opening of the sluice gates follows consistent heavy rains over the past two weeks in catchments supporting the Integrated Vaal River System and Orange River. Picture: Michel Bega
Despite opening five of the gates at the Vaal Dam over the past few days, the dam level was still at 109% capacity, and with more rain coming down on Friday, this didn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
Two additional sluice gates were opened on Wednesday when the dam was at 110% capacity, after the first sluice gates were opened on 27 December, and another on Tuesday.
There has been a massive inflow of 614 cubic metres per second and an outflow of 713 cubic metres per second.
The large volumes of water have been a headache for those living and farming downstream of the dam.
Meanwhile, a conservationist from Randburg spent nearly 20 hours hanging onto a tree in the middle of the Vaal River after his kayak collided with a tree earlier this week.
CEO of Wild Serve, Dirk Engelbrecht and a team of professional kayakers and experts rescued 50 eggs and baby birds from an island in the Vaal Dam on Monday.
Also Read: Night of terror: Conservationist spends 20 hours in middle of flooded Vaal river
