Vaaldam: Slowly but surely…
The level of the nearly empty Vaal Dam is slowly increasing and now stands at about 28% thanks to reserve water being released from the Sterkfontein Dam.
Retha Fitchat
The level of the Vaaldam is inceasing, thanks to the Department of Water and Sanitation releasing reserve water from the Free State’s Sterkfontein Dam since Monday.
The Driekloof Dam is able to feed the Sterkfontein Dam in the Free State, which in turn can provide water to the Vaal Dam via the Nuwejaarspruit and Wilge River.
The Vaal Dam is part of the Vaal River system, which consists of 14 dams and mainly services the Gauteng province, with at least 13 million users.
The dam’s level will be managed to stay in the region of 30%, but hopefully it will rain enough in the Vaal Dam’s catchment area in the next few weeks so that the release of reserve water from Sterfontein Dam won’t be necessary any more.
These photos of an object in the Vaal Dam were taken respectively on Monday, November 7, and yesterday, November 11 by Peet Schabort of Deneysville. Taking into account the vast surface of the Vaal Dam, it is clear that quite a lot of water was necessary for this increase.
