The Department of Water and Sanitation has issued an evacuation alert for people living around the Bloemhof Dam.
Bloemhof Dam is a dam in South Africa. It is located at the confluence of the Vaal River and the Vet River, on the border between the North West and Free State provinces.
Due to the excessive rains, the department has increased water releases at the Bloemhof Dam to manage the rising dam levels. These adjustments are necessary to manage the sustained high inflows and ensure safe operation of the dam.
To manage the rising levels of water at the Bloemhof Dam, five radial gates have been opened. Three of the gates are fully opened and two are partially opened at different metres. The Bloemhof dam has 20 radial gates that are operated differently from that of the Vaal Dam but are used to effectively manage water levels at Bloemhof Dam.
Meanwhile, Vaal Dam continues to rise. The five sluice gates remain open to manage the water levels at the dam.
The current controlled water releases at both the dams may lead to possible overtopping of riverbanks downstream, and this will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
The department has issued the notice, advising people who live within the floodline of the Vaal River downstream of the Vaal Dam and the Bloemhof Dam, to take immediate action! They are urging people to evacuate to a safe area to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Don’t forget to remove valuable equipment, movable infrastructure, and livestock from the flood zone. Your safety is our top priority
“The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) is experiencing very high inflows which dictates that dams within the system have to be on high alert and implement the dam safety protocols based on the levels of water.”
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