The fourth gate was opened at the Vaal dam due to increased flows

The sluice gate was opened at 10 on Saturday morning. The current levels of water storage at the dam are 107.82%.

The water level at the Vaal dam has increased slightly, according to officials who monitor the water resource that supply Gauten.

The water and sanitation department (DWS) has now opened a fourth door at the Vaal dam, due to the increased flows in the dam, as a result of the ongoing rainfall in the capture of the Vaal River.

The sluice gate was opened at 10 on Saturday morning. The current levels of water storage at the dam are 107.82%.

Increase the exits

The spokesman of DWS, Wisane Mavasa, said that the opening of the sluic gate will increase the exits from 400 to about 550 cubic meters per second (Mᵌ/S).

“The current release of water by the four gates from the sluice are still within the safe operational limits and are not expected to lead to the outdated river banks.”

*Tue 1 Apr, 2025*

The FMFS team recommends that the third one gate slice to be open at the Vaal dam at 12:00.

This measure is intended to adapt to increased flows upstream. The estimated exits will grow up to about 400 comes. pic.twitter.com/fy5yce4svn

– SA911 (@zulu72944051488) April 1, 2025

warnings

However, Mavasa issued a warning if Riverbanks swells with water.

“Everyone in the river Vaal is encouraged to begin to remove valuable equipment, mobile infrastructure and animals to avoid any damages in the case of river swelling, as a result of the flows from tributaries.”

Other dams of dam

Mavasa also shared an update at other dam levels.

“At the Bloaremhof dam, the storage levels increased to 103.23%, and the release of water will be staggered from the current 600 mᵌ/s to 700 m³/s to 10:00; 800 m³/s to 12h00; 900 m³/s to 14H00 and the last increase to 16H00 to 1000 cum.

“It is expected that the increased exits from the Vaal dam will reach Bara Bloemhof in 3 to 4 days and will increase the water level at Bloemhof and exceed the banks of the rivers and will affect everyone from the river banks to the bottom basin of Vaal,” said Mavasa.

Mpumalanga

At the Grootdraai dam, located in Mpumalanga, in the upper capture of the Vaal river, upstream of the Vaal dam, a gate from Sluice remains open two meters to allow the water to be released.

Mavasa said that the dam is currently at 102.06%.

“The department implements these controlled water releases needed for dams, as part of the dam safety measures to protect the infrastructure and ensure that there is a complete storage capacity after the rainfall season.”

Mavasa said that the department continuously monitors the water level in the Vaal River system.