As water levels at the Vaal and Bloemhof dams start to reduce, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has started reducing outflows at both dams.

Two sluice gates at the Vaal dam, which currently holds a water level of 110.71%, with inflows of 266.59 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s), have been closed.

Water release at the Bloemhof dam, which had a water level of 99.62%, was gradually reduced from 1 100 mᵌ/s to 700 mᵌ/s. This followed staggered decreases on Monday from 1 700 mᵌ/s to 1 100 mᵌ/s.

On March 6, the DWS opened the first valves at the Vaal dam to release water to prevent overflowing. By April 6, five sluice gates had been opened amid ongoing rainfall. Water releases at Bloemhof dam had been increased simultaneously.

“The recent controlled water releases at both the dams have led to overtopping of riverbanks downstream, resulting in the flooding that has affected settlements that are in the lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline,” the DWS said on Tuesday.

“People living within the floodline of the Vaal river downstream of the Vaal and Bloemhof dams and have evacuated, should continue to avoid the flooded areas as the river catchment remains oversaturated.”

The reduced outflows are necessary to manage the inflows, the safe operation of the dam and ensure that the water resource remains full.