Dam levels Update | Western Cape Government

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Dam levels Update

9 March 2020

The latest average dam level for the Western Cape is 44.35% (2019: 39.83%). The dams providing water to the City of Cape Town, are combined, 62.1% (2019: 51.63%) full.

 

Anton Bredell, the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, says the levels are dropping week on week as can be expected for this time of year.

“We have seen the end of the high demand summer season and we are now headed to the winter season. Historically that is when the Western Cape sees most of its rainfall. It remains unclear how much rain we will see this year so we continue to urge the public to consume water responsibly.”

 

The area that continues to show the worst data is the Gouritz river catchment area  which supplies water to large areas of the Karoo. Dam levels in the catchment area stands at 21.6% (2019: 19.3%).

 

Bredell has also welcomed a recent declaration of the drought as a national disaster by the National Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

 

“We hope to see the decision translate to some funding that we can use to provide further assistance to disaster struck areas in the province. The worst affected continues to be the agriculture sector in some parts of the province including the northern part of the Matzikama region in the West Coast and the whole of the Central Karoo and Little Karoo. The provincial department of agriculture has been providing support to more than 1700 farmers across the affected areas.”

 

Major Dam statistics

Voëlvlei dam – 61.4% full this week (2019: 63.73%. Last week: 62.8%)

Bergriver Dam 73.2% full this week (2019: 72.7%. Last week: 75.3%).

Theewaterskloof dam – 56.8% full this week (2019: 39.9%. Last week: 58.7%)

Clanwilliam Dam 25.5%. (2019: 30.6%. Last week: 29%) 

 

ENDS.

Media Enquiries: 

James-Brent Styan

Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell

Mobile:                   084 583 1670

Telephone:            021 483 2820

E-mail:                    James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za