Image: Polity.org
As this year’s summer season brings much-needed rains, the Vaal Dam’s level has improved to 78.8 percent.At the same period last year, it stood at 35.9%.The Sterkfontein Dam has been hovering around 100% for the second week in a row. The water agency reported that the level was 100.5 percent on Friday, compared to 94.8 percent last year at the same time. The Sterkfontein Dam is one of 14 dams that make up the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), and it serves to replenish the system when necessary.Lesotho’s Mohale Dam saw a small improvement, rising to 38.5 percent. The dam was at a very low 4.4 percent in the same period last year, and had been on the slide for months.The Katse Dam, also in Lesotho, is the second highest dam in the IVRS, with a current capacity of 71.6 percent. The dam was at 25.5 percent last year at the same time period.The Bloemhof Dam is at 91.3 percent capacity, up from 82 percent the previous week.The Grootdraai Dam, on the other hand, is at 72.5 percent, which is lower than last year’s level of 82.7 percent during the same week.Overall, the IVRS is at 81.5 percent, which is higher than the previous year’s 57.3 percent at the same time.