The latest water report by the Department of Water and Sanitation, dated 03 March 2021 indicates that water storage in the Vaal Dam is at 105.28%, Bloemhof Dam 102.65%, Gariep Dam 99.7% and the Vanderkloof Dam 100.17% full.
The temporary water storage weirs in the Northern Cape, namely, Vaalharts is at 80.9%, Douglas 120.1% and Spitskop 106.25% full. Note that water storage weirs are smaller than dams in capacity and are designed for temporary water storage, diverting water into canals and generating additional electricity for Eskom.
Various water gauging stations in the Lower Orange River indicate the following readings:
Lower Orange River
Flow at Katlani 569.4 m3/s
Flow at Prieska 625.1 m3/s
Flow at Upington 856.6 m3/s
Flow at Blouputs 828.6 m3/s
South African remains a water scarce country, especially the Northern Cape, therefore continue to use water wisely and sparingly. This is particularly so as the month of March is when we raise awareness as the DWS commemorates National Water Week this year from the 15th to 22nd, with World Water Day being 22 March.
For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942 or Amogelang Moholoeng on 082 653 1682
