https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Flow|Infrastructure|Pipes|Safety|Sanitation|System|Systems|Valves|Water|Flow|Infrastructure
Flow|Infrastructure|Pipes|Safety|Sanitation|System|Systems|Valves|Water|Flow|Infrastructure
flow-company|infrastructure|pipes|safety|sanitation|system|systems|valves|water|flow-industry-term|infrastructure

Vaal dam reaches full capacity, DWS slows outflow

Image of Vaal dam

Photo by Creamer Media

11th March 2025

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

As the water levels of the Vaal dam reach 101.51%, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has reduced the outflow of water from 61.2 cubic metres a second (mᵌ/s) to 40 mᵌ/s as inflows slightly decrease.

This followed the DWS’s efforts last week to slowly release some of the water using five of the eight valves at the dam to ensure that there is balance between the inflows and outflows amid heavy rainfall.

“The outflow release of water from the dam is one of the measures to ensure that necessary precautions are in place in line with dam safety standards and hydrological monitoring systems to safeguard and maintain the integrity of the water resource infrastructure, as well as reduce flood conditions while keeping the dam at full capacity,” the DWS said.

These releases, while normally ranging 16.8 mᵌ/s to 17.6 mᵌ/s using two valves range to keep the natural flow in the river, aim to ensure that the dam’s capacity stays within the range of 100% to 103%.

The water flow remains insignificant and will not overtop the banks.

The water levels of the downstream Bloemhof dam reduced slightly to 99.44%, with the controlled outflow releases of 320 mᵌ/s through outlet pipes remaining unchanged to facilitate the proper management of water levels and to keep the dam at or below its full supply capacity of 100%.

Neither dam has opened their sluice gates.

“The DWS continues to monitor the hydrological monitoring and forecasting systems in the Vaal river system and if inflows increase, and should the need arise, more releases may be effected on both dams to safeguard to prevent dam failures and major disasters.”

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Rittal
Rittal

Rittal is a world leading provider of top-quality integrated systems for enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Photo of Martin Creamer
On-The-Air (02/05/2025)
2nd May 2025 By: Martin Creamer
Magazine round up | 02 May 2025
Magazine round up | 02 May 2025
2nd May 2025

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.266 0.355s - 170pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now