8 August 2023
By: Joanie Bergh
Exactly two years ago, in July 2021, the largest dam supplying the Nelson Mandela Bay metro was only 4% full. On May 2 this year, it stood at a meagre 14.57%.
In the past three months, the area has started receiving rain. Rivers in the Eastern Cape have overflowed, dam levels have slowly but steadily risen, and farmers have seen strict water quotas relaxed.
Today, the Kouga Dam is 50.29% full. “You can’t believe it until you’ve seen it with your own eyes,” says Rienette Colesky, CEO of the Gamtoos Irrigation Board.
“The Kouga Dam keeps filling up; it’s recovering and showing a sharp upward trend. It’s absolutely incredible.”
Churchill Dam, the metro’s second-largest, was only 31.88% full early this year and is now at more than twice that.
The level of the Impofu Dam has increased from 7% to 12%, and the smaller reservoir dams, Loerie and Groendal, are overflowing.
Quotas
Farmers in the Eastern Cape, who depend on irrigation water from the Kouga Dam, can also breathe a sigh of relief after their water allocations were adjusted.
Since 2020, dairy, crop, and fruit farmers in the area have been able to draw only 15% to 20% of their allocation.
After the recent rise in water levels, the Department of Water and Sanitation increased agricultural users’ allocation to 35%.
Although this is good news for the agricultural sector, Colesky believes the department’s decision ignored the modulation recommendation of 40% for a dam that is 50% full.
“We are considering the decision and are in the process of consulting with legal experts about it,” she says.
A dry summer
Although the figures may seem reassuring, farmers and residents have been warned to remain mindful of their water consumption.
Garth Sampson, a spokesperson for the South African Weather Service, says overconsumption is the main problem, and some residents ignore the fact that the metro is still in a hydrological drought.
This means the levels of streams, reservoirs and groundwater are low due to a lengthy meteorological drought.
“The public should only use 230 megalitres (ML) per day, but consumption is well over 300ML,” he says. “This cannot continue because this water must last until the next winter.”
Sampson believes people tend to be misled by the overflowing Loerie and Groendal Dams, even though they do not make much difference to the drought.
“The Loerie Dam is a balancing dam. This means that water is pumped into it from the Kouga Dam. It has a very small catchment area. From there, the water is treated and pumped to the Bay.”
Groendal, which is also a balancing dam, supplies water to the areas around Kariega and Despatch.
“For the upcoming summer, below-normal rainfall is predicted, and we don’t get much rain in the summer anyway,” says Sampson. “Therefore, we need to save water and ensure it lasts until next winter.”
Dam levels after July rainfall
Kouga: 50.29%
Loerie: 101.39%
Impofu: 12%
Churchill: 65.45%
Groendal: 100%
July rainfall in catchment areas
Krakeelhoek: 302mm
Tamie: 91mm
Krakeel: 129mm
Joubertina: 92.7mm
Stuurmanskraal: 77.1mm
Patensie: 35.5mm
Loerie: 98.2mm
