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The Vaal Dam has managed stable high levels for more than two months.
Sluice gates at the Vaal Dam. Picture: Supplied
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) latest weekly report revealed that the Vaal Dam stands at double levels of its water capacity compared to the levels it recorded last year.
The Vaal Dam is a powerhouse of South Africa’s economy, situated in the heart of Gauteng. Besides being a crucial water source, the Vaal Dam boasts an impressive shoreline of 880km and a surface area of 32 107ha.
The dam, an essential part of the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), recorded a capacity of 107.17% of its full storage capacity (FSC) of 2.5 billion cubic metres on Wednesday.
According to the department’s comparison report, it has remained at the same level of 107% for approximately two months now.
In 2024, around the same time, the Vaal Dam sat at a low capacity of 51.4%.
Current Vaal Dam readings
According to the latest measurements from The Reservoir, a Water Resource Information Centre for the Catchment Management Forums of the Upper Vaal Water Management Area, the dam is currently experiencing an inflow of 61.5m³/s while maintaining a reduced outflow of 16.8m³/s.
Downstream at the Vaal Barrage, water levels measure 7.5m with an outflow of 15.1m³/s.
The current water temperature at the barrage stands at 11.4°C.
The Vaal Dam has maintained the 107% level for over two months now.
ALSO READ: Here’s what level the Vaal Dam is currently at
Vaal Dam previous daily fluctuations
The dam’s inflow on Tuesday measured 60.9m³/s, showing a slight decrease from Monday’s reading of 62.8m³/s.
Meanwhile, discharge rates remained the same from 16.8m³/s on Tuesday to 16.8m³/s on Wednesday.
Water authorities have implemented controlled release measures throughout this period, with no sluice gates currently open.
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