Low level of Vaal Dam ‘no cause for panic’

A dam once bustling with boats ferrying sightseeing tourists lies dry, its grounds parched and marked with cracks.

The Vaal Dam stands at 28.62% capacity, far too low for boats to cruise.

Dry summer and a heatwave, exacerbated by maintenance work on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project which began on October 1, have led to the dam running dry, said Kathy Manten, owner of Manten Marina in Deneysville, Free State. 

Manten Marina operates several boats on the Vaal Dam.

Manten said the challenges stared last summer.

“It’s been a very dry and hot year and the storms that do come don’t help because they may damage the boats if they go out. With the heat, the drought and the closure of the water plant, it’s like the perfect storm,” she said.

However, a water analyst and the department of water & sanitation on Monday said there was no need to panic.

“We have enough water. Once the level sits at 18%, which is the minimum operational percentage, we would open the Sterkfontein Dam to supply water to the Vaal. The Sterkfontein Dam has enough water. There is no cause for alarm," said department spokesperson Wisane Mabasa. 

“The reason there is a low level at the Vaal is because we have closed the Lesotho stream due to the work being done in the area. We have not had rain and the Vaal Dam loses most of its water to evaporation," she said. 

Manten said they got most of the water source to supply the catch stream from the Lesotho project.

“But once they cut that off, the water dropped drastically. Now we are heavily reliant on rainfall, which is rare.

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project is undergoing essential maintenance on its tunnel system, with work expected to be concluded on March 31 2025.

A resident who asked not to be named said households were not affected by the dam’s low levels.

Expert Prof Mike Muller said there was no need to be  concerned about the water level at the dam.

“The Vaal Dam is one of 14 dams in the system so we don't worry about the levels but rather about how much water there is in the whole system.

“The Vaal Dam loses a lot of water because it is very shallow. When it gets hot the water  evaporates and the level falls. If the water level is at 20% that's good because it means we will not lose so much water to evaporation," he said. 

Muller said if the dry weather continues, a problem might arise.

Another expert, Ferial Adams from WaterCan, said: “Looking at one dam is not good. We need to look at the whole system, which is sitting at 69.70% at the moment."

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