VAAL DAM BREAKS WINTER LEVEL RECORDS FIRST TIME IN 11 YEARS

The current water level of the Vaal Dam is vastly different to the previous decade.

The Vaal Dam has reached a record high of 107.69% capacity, its highest levels during the autumn/winter period in more than 11 years.

This goes against the typical seasonal patterns where the reservoir capacity usually declines during the colder months when no rain usually falls.

The current water level isn’t just striking and record-breaking for June, but it’s remarkable for the other months as well.

The Reservoir is a water resource information centre serving the catchment management forums of the Upper Vall water management area. It has been monitoring the current water level and reported that this winter’s performance surpasses all comparable periods over the past 11 years.

During the colder months, the Vaal Dam usually operates at a significantly lower level.

With this high water level at this time of the year, it could mean a summer without water restrictions, something that has become the norm during the warmer months when there’s no backup water in the reservoir and the water demand increases.

Gauteng experienced a later-than-usual rain spell this summer, which could have led to the water level rising significantly.

Image credit: Good Things Guy