No sluice gates were opened this week.
Vaal Dam sluice gate. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen
Storage levels at the Vaal Dam remained above 100% for the week of 6 to 12 July 2026, even as inflow volumes continued a gradual decline, according to data released by The Reservoir, a water resource information centre serving the Catchment Management Forums of the Upper Vaal Water Management Area.
The centre compiles information on behalf of Rand Water and the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Storage and inflow figures
According to The Reservoir, the dam’s storage level stood at 103.68% full on Monday, 6 July, holding at 103.68% on Tuesday, 7 July, before rising to a weekly high of 103.85% on Wednesday, 8 July, and easing to 103.55% on Thursday, 9 July.
The weekly average came to 103.69%.
Inflow into the dam slowed steadily across the same period. Monday’s inflow measured 56.0 m3/s, dropping to 51.4 m3/s on Tuesday, before rising slightly to 53.1 m3/s on Wednesday and easing again to 52.2 m3/s on Thursday.
The weekly average was recorded at 53.2 m3/s.
Discharge and sluice gate activity
Discharge from the Vaal Dam measured 16.8 m3/s on Monday, held at the same rate on Tuesday, before dropping to a weekly low of 13.1 m3/s on Wednesday and returning to 16.8 m3/s on Thursday, according to the report.
The weekly average worked out to 15.9 m3/s, The Reservoir noted. No sluice gates were opened on any day during the period.
Vaal Barrage readings
At the Vaal Barrage, water levels held constant at 7.5 metres on all four recorded days, from Monday through Thursday, The Reservoir reported.
Discharge at the barrage started the week at 22.6 m3/s on Monday, before dropping to 15.1 m3/s on Tuesday and holding at that same rate through Wednesday and Thursday.
The weekly average came to 17.0 m3/s.
Water temperature at the barrage rose over the same period, moving from 10.3°C on Monday to 11.2°C on Tuesday, before easing slightly to 10.7°C on Wednesday and climbing to 11.5°C on Thursday.
The weekly average was recorded at 10.9°C.
