Theewaterskloof cape town dams

(Photo: Stellenbosch Municipality)

Cape Town dams: Water levels decline, Theewaterskloof less than 50% full

We’re not quite at “day zero” panic stations yet, but locals will be keeping an eye on Theewaterskloof – The largest of the Cape Town dams is now more than half-empty.

Theewaterskloof cape town dams

(Photo: Stellenbosch Municipality)

The summer season is doing what it does best: Sapping the water from the Cape Town dams as water levels in the city continue to drop. Nothing of what we are seeing is out of the ordinary, but there’s always room for caution when it comes to Theewaterskloof dam.

The biggest facility in the Western Cape is now less than half-full, for the first time since September. When the winter rains did their thing, the dam looked like it would break the 60% mark. It fell agonisingly short, and has lost 10% over the last few months.

The bigger picture is essentially par for the course. Another week, another drop between 1% – 1.5% has hit the Cape. The combined water levels for the Cape Town dams now stands at 63.77%. Thankfully, the region is in a much better position than it was 12 months ago, as day zero fears hit fever pitch. By comparison, the reserves were a mere 29% full in January 2018.

Cape Town dam levels, January 2019

  • Theewaterskloof dam – 49.4% full this week (2017: 16.6%. Last week: 50.2%).
  • Voëlvlei dam – 81.9% full this week (2017: 20.7%. Last week: 83.6%).
  • Bergriver Dam – 87.6% full this week (2017: 57%. Last week: 89%).
  • Clanwilliam Dam – 66%. (2017: 21.7%. Last week: 69%).

Western Cape dam levels for January 2019

(Western Cape government)

Anton Bredell is the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape. He paid tribute to the firefighters who are still combating a wildfire that broke out in the Overstrand District Municipality on New Year’s Eve, and praised them for their disaster management efforts.

“Conditions have been largely unfavourable and challenging to firefighters but efforts will continue until the situation has been fully contained. At this point I want to thank each and every individual and entity who has assisted us over the past year in combating the various disasters we have been managing and those that are still assisting even at this moment. 

These include emergency workers, firefighters, sea rescue workers, lifesavers, NGOs and many others who help keep the Western Cape safer. The year ahead may send more challenges our way but together we will tackle them head on.”

Anton Bredell