Dams levels largely unchanged

TWO weeks after torrential rains hit the KwaZulu-Natal coast and thick snow blanketed the mountains, water levels in the province’s major storage dams have remained virtually unchanged.

Midmar and Albert Falls, two of the largest storage dams supplying Durban and Pietermaritzburg, are both less than half-full. Readings taken yesterday morning show that Albert Falls is just 27% full, the same as two weeks ago and considerably lower than three months ago, when the water level was at 32%.

The dam level at Midmar was at just over 46% yesterday, barely 1% higher than two weeks ago and just 0.5% higher than three months ago. The Inanda Dam level is at 67%, about 1% lower than two weeks ago and 8% lower than three months ago.

Along the North Coast, however, the smaller Hazelmere Dam is at almost 54%, about 11% higher than two weeks ago. The Pongolapoort Dam, the single biggest dam in the

province that is mainly used for irrigation in the Pongola and Jozini area, is at 40%, almost exactly the same as two weeks ago. The Woodstock Dam near Bergville is at 74%, about 3% higher than two weeks ago. However, most of the water from this dam is transferred via a tunnel system to Gauteng. The Goedertrouw Dam, currently one

of the last remaining water sources for the Richards Bay/ Empangeni area, is at just under 19%, unchanged from two weeks ago.

Along the southern coastal belt several dams are overflowing or close to it, but most are very small compared with Midmar or Albert Falls. These include the Umzinto, EJ Smith and Nungwane dams.