Water Minister to visit the Vaal Dam as more rain is coming
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina is expected to visit the Vaal Dam on Wednesday morning to assess the water resource infrastructure amid heavy inflows into the dam caused by the ongoing rainfall in the Vaal River Catchment area.
Her visit comes after the fifth sluice gate of the Dam had been opened to allow easy management of water levels.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) increased water releases downstream of the Vaal River at Bloemhof Dam to 3000 mᵌ/s to manage the rising dam levels, which are at 116.5%.
Currently, the Vaal Dam is releasing 793 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s) of water downstream into the Vaal River System and the into the Bloemhof Dam.
The adjustments were necessary to manage the sustained high inflows and ensure safe operation of the dam.
"To manage the rising levels of water at the Bloemhof Dam, five radial gates have been opened," said DWS spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.
"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.
"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."
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