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Water release increased at Bloemhof
The current controlled water releases at both the dams may lead to possible overtopping of riverbanks downstream, the Department warned, and added that this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
Water releases at Bloemhof Dam has been increased drastically since this morning. At 11:00 water was released at 2200 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s); and then further increased at 14:00 to 2450 mᵌ/s; then at 16: 00 to 2700 mᵌ/s. The last increase took place at 18h:00 this evening to 3000 mᵌ/s.
The Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation explained the drastic increase saying it is done to manage the rising dam levels which are at 116.5%.
The Department further said these adjustments are necessary to manage the sustained high inflows and ensure safe operation of the dam. The water outflow at the dam was last increased to 2000 cubic metres per second mᵌ/s yesterday evening.
To manage the rising levels of water at the Bloemhof Dam, five radial gates have been opened. Three of the gates are fully opened and two are partially opened at different metres. The Bloemhof dam has 20 radial gates that are operated differently from that of the Vaal Dam but are used to effectively manage water levels at Bloemhof Dam.
Meanwhile, Vaal Dam continues to rise with water levels at 112.85% and 1 248.11 mᵌ/s inflows from the upper catchment. The five sluice gates remain open with a discharge remains of 793 mᵌ/s to manage the water levels at the dam.
The current controlled water releases at both the dams may lead to possible overtopping of riverbanks downstream, the Department warned, and added that this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
“If you live within the floodline of the Vaal River downstream of the Vaal Dam and the Bloemhof Dam, please take immediate action! We urge you to evacuate to a safe area to protect yourself and your loved ones,” the Department warned, adding that ” valuable equipment, movable infrastructure, and livestock should be removed from the flood zone.”
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