Safety advisory issued as Vaal Dam sluice gate closes

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has closed another sluice gate at the Vaal Dam as part of ongoing flood-management operations, reducing the volume of water being released downstream and issuing a safety advisory to communities along the Vaal River.

In a media statement issued on Tuesday, the department said it had closed one sluice gate after shutting two the day before, bringing water outflow down from 493.930 cubic metres per second (m³/s) to 236.520 m³/s. “One sluice gate remains open,” the department confirmed.

At Bloemhof Dam, releases have also been reduced, dropping from 801.16 m³/s to 602.16 m³/s.

According to the DWS, these controlled releases are part of its “ongoing flood management operations, undertaken to safely and effectively balance water inflows and outflows while protecting the structural integrity of key water infrastructure in line with the established operating rules of the Vaal River System.”

Storage levels at the Vaal Dam have decreased from 103.42% to 100.37%, while Bloemhof remains steady at 99.25%.

Despite the reductions, the department urged caution as rainfall continues to raise river levels downstream. “Communities along the Lower Vaal River and other riparian areas are urged to remain alert and to closely monitor the rising river levels as the rainfall continues,” it said. “The rising river levels may result in localised overflowing of riverbanks and floodplains downstream.”

Farmers and residents were also advised to act swiftly to protect their property. “Farmers and residents with pumps, movable equipment, infrastructure, or livestock situated near the river are strongly advised to relocate these to higher ground as a precautionary measure to safeguard property and ensure safety.”

The department said it “remains on high alert” and will continue real-time monitoring of inflows at both dams. It added that further updates and advisories will be issued “as conditions evolve.”