Hardap sluices open
The sluices of the Hardap Dam at Mariental were opened yesterday, while other dam levels showed lesser increases in the last week.
JANA-MARI SMITH
NamWater opened the Hardap Dam sluices yesterday after the dam level reached close to 70% following heavy rains in recent days.
The sluices were opened yesterday after 14:00 at a release rate of 200 cubic metres per second, with possible increases of up to 400 cubic metres per second predicted. The decision to open the sluices was made as a precaution after NamWater stations calculated that the inflow was expected to increase to 350m³ per second by midday.
The dam level was at 68% of capacity when the sluice gates were opened and was expected to rise to 73% later yesterday. In mid-January the dam level had stood at 35.4%.
Following the 2006 Mariental floods, the dam level has not been allowed to exceed 70%.
Currently the town faces no danger of flooding. Flooding only occurs if more than 500m³ per second is released.
NamWater is keeping a close eye rainfall in the Ai-Ais area, which is the catchment of the Naute Dam.
The latest dam bulletin released yesterday before noon indicated that the Von Bach Dam’s level had reached 42.8%, up from 32.7% a week ago. One year ago today the dam had reached 21.5% of full capacity.
The Swakoppoort Dam was at 12.1% yesterday, up from 9.8% a week ago but still below the level of 14.5% at the same time last year.
The Omatako Dam reached 31.5% yesterday, up from 6.8% a week ago. The sub-total for the three central dams was 27.1%, up from 16.1% last week and 14.4% at the same time last year.
On January 23, the Swakoppoort Dam stood at 5.4%, the Von Bach Dam at 15.3% and the Omatako Dam at 0.9%.
Rains lashed the country over the past few days as a result of a low-pressure system created by Cyclone Dineo, which had barrelled through neighbouring countries.
Widespread showers and thundershowers were reported over much of Namibia, including the drought-stricken Kunene and Erongo regions, yesterday.
Rain reports shared on social media over the weekend indicated that 80mm was measured at a farm between Steinhausen and Summerdown in the Omaheke Region on Sunday.
A resident of the Zambezi Region wrote that a total of 680mm had fallen near their plot in the Kwando area since Christmas.
Rainfall figures released by the Meteorological Service yesterday showed that Rundu had received more than 40mm of rain on Sunday.
Farm Fanara, in the /Karas Region, reported 70mm on Sunday.
NamWater opened the Hardap Dam sluices yesterday after the dam level reached close to 70% following heavy rains in recent days.
The sluices were opened yesterday after 14:00 at a release rate of 200 cubic metres per second, with possible increases of up to 400 cubic metres per second predicted. The decision to open the sluices was made as a precaution after NamWater stations calculated that the inflow was expected to increase to 350m³ per second by midday.
The dam level was at 68% of capacity when the sluice gates were opened and was expected to rise to 73% later yesterday. In mid-January the dam level had stood at 35.4%.
Following the 2006 Mariental floods, the dam level has not been allowed to exceed 70%.
Currently the town faces no danger of flooding. Flooding only occurs if more than 500m³ per second is released.
NamWater is keeping a close eye rainfall in the Ai-Ais area, which is the catchment of the Naute Dam.
The latest dam bulletin released yesterday before noon indicated that the Von Bach Dam’s level had reached 42.8%, up from 32.7% a week ago. One year ago today the dam had reached 21.5% of full capacity.
The Swakoppoort Dam was at 12.1% yesterday, up from 9.8% a week ago but still below the level of 14.5% at the same time last year.
The Omatako Dam reached 31.5% yesterday, up from 6.8% a week ago. The sub-total for the three central dams was 27.1%, up from 16.1% last week and 14.4% at the same time last year.
On January 23, the Swakoppoort Dam stood at 5.4%, the Von Bach Dam at 15.3% and the Omatako Dam at 0.9%.
Rains lashed the country over the past few days as a result of a low-pressure system created by Cyclone Dineo, which had barrelled through neighbouring countries.
Widespread showers and thundershowers were reported over much of Namibia, including the drought-stricken Kunene and Erongo regions, yesterday.
Rain reports shared on social media over the weekend indicated that 80mm was measured at a farm between Steinhausen and Summerdown in the Omaheke Region on Sunday.
A resident of the Zambezi Region wrote that a total of 680mm had fallen near their plot in the Kwando area since Christmas.
Rainfall figures released by the Meteorological Service yesterday showed that Rundu had received more than 40mm of rain on Sunday.
Farm Fanara, in the /Karas Region, reported 70mm on Sunday.
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