Vaal river system remains resilient as reservoir levels continue to support water security.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) continues to closely monitor the status of major water storage facilities forming part of the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS). The latest assessment indicates that the system remains in a favourable position, with combined storage recorded at 97.1% this week, compared to 100.9% last week.
The week-on-week changes reflect the dynamic nature of water-resource management and the varying conditions across the respective catchments. While Vaal and Bloemhof dams recorded notable declines, Grootdraai remained stable, while Sterkfontein and Katse recorded marginal increases. Mohale Dam also recorded a slight decline.
Despite these fluctuations, several reservoirs remain at or above their Full Supply Level (FSL), while others are close to their respective FSL. The overall storage position of the IVRS therefore remains strong and continues to provide a substantial water reserve to support the needs of communities, industries, agriculture and other water users.
Vaal Dam declined from 106.8% last week to 95.4% this week. Although the dam has moved below its FSL reference, it continues to retain a significant volume of water and remains a strategic component of the IVRS.
The storage level of Vaal Dam is continuously monitored in relation to inflows, releases, transfers and water requirements across the system to ensure that available resources are managed effectively.
Grootdraai Dam remained stable at 101.2%, unchanged from the previous week. The reservoir remains slightly above its FSL, reflecting a favourable storage position.
The stable level indicates that the balance between inflows, releases and water use remained relatively consistent during the reporting period.
Bloemhof Dam declined from 109.0% last week to 99.9% this week. The reservoir has consequently moved from above to just below its FSL reference. Despite the decline, Bloemhof Dam continues to hold a substantial volume of water.
Changes in the dam level are influenced by a combination of factors, including inflows, controlled releases, downstream requirements, evaporation and water use. These fluctuations should therefore be considered within the broader operational context of the Vaal River System.
Sterkfontein Dam recorded a marginal increase from 98.9% last week to 99.0% this week. The reservoir remains close to its FSL and continues to maintain a strong storage position.
The slight improvement contributes positively to the overall water-resource position of the IVRS.
Mohale Dam recorded a marginal decline from 103.3% last week to 102.4% this week. Despite the decrease, the reservoir remains above its FSL and continues to hold substantial water reserves.
Mohale Dam forms part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) and is an important component of the broader water-resource network supporting the Vaal River System.
Katse Dam recorded a marginal increase from 88.4% last week to 88.9% this week. Although the reservoir remains below its FSL, the slight improvement indicates an increase in storage during the reporting period.
Together with Mohale Dam, Katse forms part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and plays an important role in supporting water availability to the Vaal River System.
The IVRS was recorded at 100.9% last week and has since declined to 97.1% this week. While the combined system storage has decreased, the current level remains close to the FSL reference and indicates that the system continues to hold substantial water reserves.
It is important to note that the IVRS storage percentage represents the combined storage position of the interconnected system and does not mean that all individual dams are at the same level. The different storage levels recorded across the reservoirs are influenced by local catchment conditions, inflows, transfers, releases and water demand.
The current storage position provides an important buffer to support domestic, industrial, agricultural and other socio-economic water requirements. The strong overall position also highlights the importance of managing the IVRS as an interconnected system to optimise the use and distribution of available water resources.
The Department will continue to monitor dam levels, rainfall, catchment conditions, inflows, transfers, releases and water demand to ensure that available water resources are managed efficiently and sustainably.
The DWS further calls on all water users to continue using water responsibly and to adopt water-conservation measures. Sustained responsible water use remains essential to safeguarding the country's water resources and supporting long-term water security.
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935/ mavasaw@dws.gov.za or Maria Lebese (Gauteng DWS: Communication on 082 611 9264 / lebesem@dws.gov.za
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