Dws Opens Fifth Gate At Vaal Dam To Control Rising Water
The Department of Water and Sanitation DWS says they have opened a fifth sluice gate at the Vaal Dam. The department says this is to manage the rapidly increasing water levels due to heavy rainfall overnight in the catchment area. The decision comes just 24 hours after the fourth gate was opened.
The department says controlled water releases aim to safeguard the dams infrastructure and maintain full storage capacity after the rainfall season.
The departments spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa is urging residents along the Vaal River to remove valuable equipment, movable infrastructure and livestock, and evacuate to avoid damage or loss of life when the riverbanks overtop.
The increased outflows from the Vaal dam are expected to reach the barrage in about six hours and Bloemhof Dam in three to four days and will result in water levels rising in both the dam and the river, overtopping of the riverbanks. Due to increased water releases by the five sluice gates, there might be a possible overflowing at the riverbanks downstream, and this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the 100-year flood line or 100 meters.
The Department of Water and Sanitation in the Free State says water levels in the provinces storage dams were at 92.4 capacity overall as recorded a week ago. There have been even more rains since.
