Windhoek dams above 84%

THE three dams storing water for Windhoek and the central area of the country have received further inflows over the past week, bringing their combined level to more than 84% of their storage capacity.

The three dams – Von Bach, Swakoppoort and Omatako – were filled to 84,3% of their combined storage capacity on Monday, when they held nearly 130,3 million cubic metres of water, according to the Namibia Water Corporation’s latest weekly update on the state of the country’s dams.

The three dams received further inflows totalling 2,3 million cubic metres of water over the past week, and are now holding four times the quantity of water that they were storing a year ago, when their combined level stood at 21%.

Von Bach’s level was recorded at 100% of its storage capacity on Monday, when one of the dam’s sluice gates was opened to release some water into the Swakop River leading to the Swakoppoort Dam. Swakoppoort’s level was recorded at 86,9% on Monday, while Omatako’s was at 63,4%.

The Hardap Dam near Mariental also received an inflow over the past week, bringing its level to the 45% mark on Monday. A week ago, Hardap was filled to 43,9% of its capacity.

The Oanob Dam received more water over the past week as well, and was filled to 97,8% of its capacity on Monday.

Dam levels reported by NamWater on Monday, with the dams’ levels a year ago in brackets, are:

Von Bach 100% (45,7%)

Swakoppoort 86,9% (16,9%)

Omatako 63,4% (0,2%)

Hardap 45% (25,7%)

Naute 85,4% (96,7%)

Oanob 97,8% (52,4%)

Otjivero Main 37,5% (3,8%)

Otjivero Silt 40,9% (empty)

Tilda Viljoen 38,5% (4,2%)

Daan Viljoen 65% (2,1%)

Olushandja 31,7% (14,7%)

Omaruru Delta 2% (empty)

Friedenau 43,5% (28,3%).