Entering the hottest, and the last month of the summer season, it feels good to think that what could’ve been a catastrophic disaster, with dam levels steeping as low as 20% exactly a year ago, in 2018, has finally been restored.
Although the Western Cape is said to not be, “out of the woods†quite yet, reaching the end of summer and entering the autumn season, which is usually accompanied with a few rainy days, sure does makes the Capetonians feel good about the rest of the year.
Currently, the Cape dam levels are 58.36% full, and the Western province, 46.63%. There has been a decrease due to summer, which is always the case, but entering the autumn season in March, makes everything seem hopeful.
Residents living in the Beaufort West region, who have experienced an endless drought, have seen an increase in the Gouritz River Catchment, due to heavy rains. This region hasn’t seen proper rain in four years.
Current Dam Levels in the Western Cape
- Cape Town System Dams – 58.36%
- Berg River Catchment – 74.04%
- Breede River Catchment – 42.68%
- Gouritz River Catchment – 17.65%
- Olifants/ Doorn River Catchment – 50.96%
- Western Cape State of Dams – 46.63%
- Threewaterskloof Dam – 45.2%
- Voelvlei Dam – 73.2%
- Berg River dam – 81%
- Clanwilliam Dam – 50.6%
A substantial increase in dam levels has been seen since February 2018. One specific dam, the Olifants/ Doorn Dam, was only 15.25% full last year. Although most dams have been able to recover, the Gouritz River Catchment, that supplies Beaufort West with all its water, will require a lot of rainfall this winter, to recover.
With the passing of summer, entering autumn and winter, one can only hope that dam levels will either remain consistent or continue to increase before the next summer dawns upon the Mother City and the Western Cape.
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