Namibia’s dams filling up as rains continue

The country’s major dams are receiving good inflows during the current rainy season, the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) has reported.

Some dams are nearly full, with the Swakoppoort Dam already spilling over.

The water utility says people should be careful around full dams and rivers, and should not try to cross flooded areas.

“NamWater also urges the public to use water responsibly. While inflows are positive, conservation remains crucial to ensure long-term water security,” NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata says.

The Swakoppoort Dam was at 104.4% of its storage capacity yesterday and its scour valve has been opened to release excess water.

The Von Bach Dam is now 64.9% full, showing a rise of 3.2 million cubic metres over the past week in its recent readings. The Omatako Dam has reached 80.8% of its capacity.

The Hardap Dam stood at 74.7% yesterday, after receiving 31.8 million cubic metres of water during the past week, while the Naute Dam’s level is at 62%.

The Neckartal Dam is getting close to capacity at 91.3%. It has gained 25.4 million cubic metres of water during the past week.

Other dams’ levels are also rising, with the Oanob Dam at 68.9% and the Daan Viljoen Dam at 64%.

Some smaller dams still have lower levels. The Otjivero Main Dam is only 11% full, the Otjivero Silt Dam stands at 22.6%, and the Tilda Viljoen Dam is at 15.7%.

The Omdel Dam near Henties Bay was filled to 24.7% of its storage capacity yesterday. In the meantime, NamWater says even though dam levels are rising, Namibians should keep saving water.