Vaal Dam sluice gates reduced as water levels decrease

The Department of Water and Sanitation has closed two sluice gates at the Vaal Dam as water levels begin to decrease following last week’s severe rains.

The department was previously forced to open five gates after the dam exceeded its capacity to over 115%.

[WATCH] Demonstration of the opening of the Vaal Dam sluice gate pic.twitter.com/nKOrSPXmID

— Water&SanitationRSA (@DWS_RSA) April 9, 2025

Vaal Dam current water levels

According to Wednesday’s reservoir report, the Vaal Dam currently stands at 109.65% capacity with an inflow of 197.3m³/s and outflow of 445.3m³/s.

Three gates remain open with no river valves in operation.

The Vaal Barrage downstream is recording a level of 7.3m with an outflow of 320.0m³/s and water temperature of 19.8°C.

Weekly monitoring shows a gradual reduction in water levels, with Monday’s reading at 110.7%, down from 112.8% last week.

This represents a significant improvement from the same period last year, when the dam stood at just 61.6% capacity.

ALSO READ: Vaal Dam level rises, but no need to open more sluice gates just yet

Department’s response

Department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa explained the decision to begin closing gates in response to decreasing upstream inflows.

“The department has taken a decision to now start closing the sluice gates, and then we’ll be left with three sluice gates open at the Vaal Dam,” Mavasa told eNCA on Wednesday.

“As we are experiencing lesser and lesser inflows, we obviously have to take a decision to ensure that as the water is being released, we don’t release huge quantities that will lead to the dam going below the full capacity of 100%.”

ALSO READ: Vaal Dam flooding: Why residents are shrugging off evacuation warnings

No evacuations conducted

According to Emfuleni Municipality’s Makhosonke Sangweni, despite concerns about flooding in nearby communities, no formal evacuations have been implemented.

“The only thing that we have done is just to go and visit communities to check their safety and also to caution them that the areas in which they’ve built are not areas that they are supposed to build,” said Sangweni on eNCA.

ALSO READ: Deneysville residents fear homes will flood as Vaal Dam levels remain high

Illegal settlements in flood zones

The department has emphasised that some residents have illegally settled in designated flood zones, creating potential hazards during high-water events.

Previous statements from Water and Sanitation Minister Pamela Majodina had earlier declared that the government would not compensate residents for flood damage in cases where communities had encroached on flood zones.

NOW READ: Government won’t compensate residents near dams for flood damage, says Majodina