Last Vaal Dam sluice gate closed: Here’s what level the dam is sitting at

Water levels at the Vaal Dam are receding after April’s flooding.

The Department of Water and Sanitation closed the final sluice gate at the Vaal Dam on Wednesday, as water levels continue to stabilise.

The dam is currently sitting at 108.08% capacity, according to the latest monitoring data.

This marks a significant improvement from April when levels peaked at over 120%.

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“The dam stood at 108.5% on Monday. Last week it was at 110.4% and last year around the same period, it stood at 58.5%,” the Department of Water and Sanitation reported in its weekly dam assessment.

Current Vaal Dam levels

The Vaal Dam system is gradually returning to more manageable levels, though authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.

Current measurements show the dam’s inflow at 112.8m³/s with a controlled outflow of 147.7m³/s, indicating officials are still working to reduce water levels.

At the Vaal Barrage, downstream from the main dam, water levels measure 7.6 metres with an outflow of 149.6m³/s.

The water temperature stands at 15.7°C.

The dam’s storage percentage has remained at around 108% since Sunday, indicating a sustained high water level.

ALSO READ: Vaal Dam levels remain high as sluice gate outflows reduced

Continued vigilance required

Despite the improvement, the current dam levels still present a perilous situation to those that live downstream.

This follows a turbulent period in April when heavy rainfall pushed the dam to dangerously high levels of 121%.

During that crisis, many residents in flood-prone areas were instructed to evacuate their homes as authorities opened multiple sluice gates to prevent the dam from overtopping.

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