Central dams’ contents triple after inflows

TWO weeks of widespread rains have done wonders for the dams storing water for Windhoek and the central area of the country, more than tripling their contents compared to a fortnight ago.

The Von Bach, Swakoppoort and Omatako dams’ total contents had risen to 113,8 million cubic metres of water by yesterday morning – more than triple the dams’ combined contents of 29,3 million cubic metres two weeks ago, or their contents of 34,3 million cubic metres of water a year ago, the Namibia Water Corporation reported.

The Von Bach Dam neared its full storage capacity over the past weekend, and water was released from the dam on Sunday evening. With that water flowing along the Swakop River in the direction of the Swakoppoort Dam, that dam’s level was also set to receive a further boost.

By yesterday morning, Swakoppoort’s level stood at 69% of its capacity, NamWater reported – a vast improvement on the dam’s level of 4,8% two weeks earlier.

The Von Bach Dam’s level stood at 99,4% yesterday, compared to 38,8% a fortnight ago, while the Omatako Dam was filled to 52% of its storage capacity, compared to 18% two weeks ago.

Over the past two weeks, the three dams have received total inflows of 84,5 million cubic metres of water.

With inflows into the Hardap Dam near Mariental totalling 65,4 million cubic metres of water over the past two weeks, Hardap’s contents have been boosted from a level of 6,5% on 17 February to 28,7% yesterday.

The level of the Oanob Dam near Rehoboth also shot up over the past two weeks, and was recorded at 90,5% of the dam’s storage capacity yesterday morning. Two weeks ago, Oanob’s level was at 46,8%.

Over the past weekend, the Omaruru Delta (Omdel) Dam in the Namib Desert near Henties Bay received a rare inflow of water as well, bringing its level to 3,7% yesterday morning.

Other dam levels reported by NamWater yesterday, with the dams’ levels a year ago in brackets, are Naute 87% (99,9%), Otjivero Main 16,9% (4%), Otjivero Silt 21,6% (empty), Tilda Viljoen 32,7% (4,3%), Daan Viljoen 69% (4,2%), Friedenau 44,5% (29,5%), Dreihuk 15,4% (1,1%), Bondels 102,8% (empty) and Olushandja 28,5% (20,2%).