Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
GENERAL FLOOD WARNINGS TIME 14:00 12 FEBRUARY 1996
In view of the heavy downpours over the past few days and the predictions of more heavy rain to come, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry issues the following flood warnings in the interest of public safety. The rain is expected to continue until Thursday and rivers may rise even higher. The public should keep themselves informed of rising river levels and prepare for possible flooding later this week. All responsible bodies will be regularly informed of the situation.
DRAINAGE REGION: VAAL
DAM INFLOW LEVEL OVERFLOW Grootdraai - 100% + 500 m3/s Vaal 1 500 m3/s 100% + 600 m3/s Bloemhof 550 m3/s 100% + 760 m3/s
Remarks
Vaal Dam:
The overflow from the Vaal Dam is to be increased from 600 to 1 350 m3/s at 16:00 through 12 sluice gates. There was heavy rainfall in the catchment and there is a strong possibility that more gates will be opened during the day.
Bloemhof Dam:
An increased outflow from 600 m3/s to 1 300 m3/s is also expected at the Bloemhof Dam as from 16:00
Grootdraai Dam:
Grootdraai's release tempo is bound to be increased due to heavy rains that fell in the catchment
General:
A flow of 1 000 m3/s can be contained within the river banks downstream of the Vaal Dam, but the public is requested to be on a flood alert as the inflow increase to more than 1 350 m3/s.
DRAINAGE REGION: OLIFANTS
Loskop 2 500 m3/s 108% 880 m3/s Ebenezer - 42% - Magoebaskloof - 103% - Middel-Letaba - 51% - Tzaneen - 35% - Arabie - - 52 m3/s
Remarks:
The Moos River is flowing strongly at 500 m3/s and farmers are requested to move their pumps to higher ground.
DRAINAGE REGION: LIMPOPO
Nzhelele - 81% - Albasini - 21% - Vondo - 97% - Luphephe - 100% - Nwanedzi - 99% -
Remarks:
The Limpopo River is flowing very strongly at Beit Bridge at a rate of 1 000 m3/s.
DRAINAGE REGION: KWAZULU/NATAL
Hluhluwe - 114% 314 m3/s Spioenkop - 106% 293 m3/s Goedertrouw - 58% - Chelmsford - 104% 435 m3/s
Remarks:
At Chelmsford Dam an inflow of 600 m3/s has receded to 475 m3/s at 09:00 this morning.
Although the Klip River has risen to 7,45 m at a rate of 400 m3/s the town was not flooded and the flood is subsiding.
The Pongola River burst its banks below the irrigation scheme and no damage has been reported.
ENQUIRIES: VAAL RIVER SYSTEM MR HENNIE SMIT TEL: (012) 672 2880 OLIFANTS / LIMPOPO MR RENS BOTHA TEL: (012) 672 2961 (W) (012) 71 4565 (H) KWAZULU/NATAL MR JOE HANSMANN TEL: (031) 306 1367