Bloemhof dam outflows increased to manage rising water levels
Five radial gates – three fully opened and two partially opened at different metres – have been opened at the Bloemhof dam as the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) works to manage the increasing water levels.
Water releases at Bloemhof dam were increased incrementally in two-hour blocks, starting with 2 200 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s), with the last increase to 3 000 mᵌ/s by 18:00 on Tuesday to manage the rising dam levels which are at 116.5%.
“These adjustments are necessary to manage the sustained high inflows and ensure safe operation of the dam,” the DWS said on Tuesday evening.
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.
This as the Vaal dam’s water levels continue to rise, reaching 112.85%, with 1 248.11 mᵌ/s inflows from the upper catchment.
The five sluice gates remain open with a discharge of 793 mᵌ/s to manage the water levels at the dam.
The current controlled water releases at both the dams may lead to possible overtopping of riverbanks downstream, and this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the one in 100-year floodline.
Meanwhile, at Grootdraai dam, one sluice gate remains opened at 2.5 m to enable water releases. The dam was recorded on Tuesday to be at 101% full supply capacity.
“The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) is experiencing very high inflows which dictates that dams within the system have to be on high alert and implement the dam safety protocols based on the levels of water.”
The DWS continues to monitor inflow water levels in the IVRS to ensure that necessary precautions are in place in line with dam safety standards and hydrological monitoring systems to safeguard infrastructure and attenuate flood conditions within the constraints of existing high dam levels.
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