By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
10 April 2025- The Minister of Department of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, will visit Bloemhof Dam to assess the infrastructure amidst evacuations due to flooding at downstream areas. Following the visit to the Vaal Dam on Wednesday, Majodina, will proceed to Bloemhof Dam on 11 April 2025, to assess the water resource infrastructure amid heavy inflows into the dam, as well as the high-water releases from the dam that have resulted in flooding in some areas downstream from the dam.
The Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Wisani Mabasa said, over the past few days, Bloemhof Dam had to increase water releases to manage high inflows coming into the dam from the upper catchment. Mabasa said as at this morning, the dam is at 111.07%and water is being released at 2502 cubic metres per second (mᵌ/s) through five radial gates.
“The controlled water releases are necessary to manage the rapidly rising dam levels and to also manage the sustained high inflows and ensure safe operation of the dam.
“The high-water level at Bloemhof Dam is due to the discharge of water from the upstream Vaal Dam, which is also over its full water supply capacity with 115.57%,” he said.
Mabasa further said the discharge of water is currently at 813.380 mᵌ/s and five sluice gates at Vaal Dam remain opened. He added that due to the water release, areas downstream the Vaal and the Bloemhof Dams are experiencing flooding and settlements built along the floodline of the Vaal River System have begun evacuating.
The Guardian 