Vaal Dam opens its sluice gates, 28/12/2021 – Photo: DWS / Twitter
Vaal Dam opens its sluice gates, 28/12/2021 – Photo: DWS / Twitter
Now that’s a sight for sore eyes! The Vaal Dam, which is the main water supplier for the whole of Gauteng, is fit for bursting this week – and the authorities have decided to open its sluice gates, releasing gushing torrents of water from the facility.
How full is the Vaal Dam?
The Department of Water and Sanitation announced earlier on Tuesday that the time had come to prevent the Vaal Dam from overflowing any further. After weeks of heavy rains and torrential downpours, the volume of water within its walls had reached 107% of capacity.
One sluice gate at the #VaalDam was opened this morning. The opening of the sluice gate follows consistent heavy rains over the last two weeks in the catchments supporting the Integrated
— Water&SanitationRSA (@DWS_RSA) December 28, 2021
Vaal River System and the Orange River.@Senzo_Mchunu_ pic.twitter.com/n5YTvvZDul
Water, water everywhere…
In a statement issued by DWS on Tuesday, those who live downstream from the Vaal Dam have been told to take precautions, with officials concerned about the welfare of nearby farmers and road users approaching low-lying bridges.
“The department will monitor the situation, and may open other sluice gates in time, if heavy rains and inflows persist. It is important for farmers and all of those who live downstream to move their equipment from the flow, and no-one should try to cross low-lying bridges if they look flooded.”
Department of Water and Sanitation, Tuesday 28 December
1st gate open, next one at 2pm this afternoon as the Vaaldam is nearly 110 percent full
— ReenvalSA (@ReenvalSA) December 28, 2021
????Brian Reynolds @rsglandbou @eNCA @peoples_weather @AgriSA1904 @JoelGuy_ @huisgenoot @landbou @maroelamedia @Mooivaalmedia @SAWeatherServic @ewnreporter pic.twitter.com/JXG6wYELXl
WATCH: Vaal Dam opens its sluice gates!
The footage of the sluice gates opening at the Vaal Dam is, by the way, utterly mesmeric. A few avid water watchers were on hand to capture the moment the overflow forced its way out of the dam walls, and you can see it here…
Eyewitness account from one of our RiSA Admins of the opening of the sluice gate at Vaal Dam this morning ????????????
— ReenvalSA (@ReenvalSA) December 28, 2021
????Theresa du Toit@Mooivaalmedia @VoxWeatherZa @ewnreporter @eNCA @huisgenoot @AgriSA1904 @JoelGuy_ @DWS_RSA @peoples_weather @SAWeatherServic @landbou @maroelamedia pic.twitter.com/A8Q1gHyxAM
