Water levels continue to drop in the Mpumalanga Province as the majority of the listed dams continue to record declines in water volumes, with only Jericho Dam recording a slight improvement and Klipkopjes Dam remaining unchanged over the week.
According to Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 18 October 2021, Jericho Dam increased from 76.9% to 78.1% and Klipkopjes Dam remained unchanged at 90.4%. The report also shows that only four listed dams remain above 90%, which are Driekoppies Dam dropping from 94.8% to 94.0%, Kilpkopjes unchanged at 90.4%, Nooitgedacht dropping from 94.8% to 94.7% and Vygeboom also dropping from 94.8% to 94.0%.
The DWS weekly report also shows that the average water levels in the listed dams in the Mpumalanga Province dropped from 76.8% to 76.0%. In the Water Management Areas (WMA), the Olifants dropped from 69.4% to 68.8% and the Inkomati-Usuthu dropped from 84.7% to 84.0%.
In the Lowveld in Ehlanzeni District, Longmere Dam remained unchanged at 90.4%. Continuing to drop in water volumes, Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped from 84.1% to 82.6%, Buffelskloof 70.0% to 66.2%, Driekoppies from 94.8% to 94.0%, Longmere from 78.1% to 72.6%, Witklip from 97.2% to 85.8%, Primkop from 74.5% to 72.7%, Kwena from 83.9% to 81.5%, Da Gama from 90.0% to 89.6%, Inyaka from 78.4% to 77.4% and Ohrigstad from 43.8% to 40.4%.
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In the Gert Sibande District, Jericho Dam increased from 76.9% to 78.1%. On the downward trend, Grootdraai Dam dropped from 73.6% to 72.7%, Nooitgedacht from 94.8% to 94.7%, Vygeboom from 94.8% to 94.0%, Westoe from 48.5% to 46.4%, Morgenstond from 81.2% to 80.0% and Heyshope from 84.1% to 83.7%.
All the listed dams in the Nkangala District continued to record declines in water volumes with Witbank Dam dropping from 87.7% to 87.3%, Middelburg from 78.9% to 78.2%, Loskop from 85.2% to 84.2% and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo from 6.8% to 6.6%.
DWS encourages the public to continue using the water wisely and in a more conservative manner in light of the continuous decline in water levels in the dams and water resources.
