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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will today, 12 February2021, further open two more sluice gates at the Vaal Dam to release water in addition to the three gates that were opened yesterday, 11 February 2021. 

The initial analysis indicated that there was a need for the opening of three (3) gates but the possibility existed that it could be four (4). However, the latest analysis showed that there was a need to open two (2) more gates, to make it five (5) for now.

The release of the water, which will flow into the Bloemhof Dam, is in anticipation of rainfalls expected over the Orange River System and the river flows from the Upper Vaal rapidly filling the Integrated Vaal River System and in particular the Vaal Dam. 

One of the gates will be opened at 10:00 this morning, followed by the second one at 12:00 midday, with the total outflow expected to be around a safe 649m3/s.

The water released from Vaal Dam, which is presently full to the brim at 106.0%, is expected to reach the Bloemhof Dam late tomorrow, 13 February 2021.  

Departmental Spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, said the Bloemhof Dam outflow is currently 400m3/s but would increase to 500m3/s from today, 12 February 2021, at 10:00 in the morning. 

Ratau said the outflow would further increase to 600m3/s at 12:00 midday today 12 February 2021 and these increases were not expected to cause any damage downstream.

He said the officials of the department would still alert downstream communities to about the impending increased flow at the Vaal Barrage. 

It is expected that the released water will show impacts on the water bodies in the Northern Cape as from the 15 February. These releases are managed in such a manner that they would not impact negatively on any roads or such infrastructure in that province. 

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation