Dam levels slowly declining across Namibia – NamWater

Namibia’s dam levels are gradually dropping, with the total surface water storage now standing at 1 343.4 million cubic metres.

This figure represents 86.3% of the country’s overall dam capacity, and is a slight dip from the 86.8% recorded on 23 June, marking a weekly decrease of 7.2 million cubic metres.

NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata confirms the figures in a weekly update issued Monday, cautioning stakeholders and the public to remain mindful of water use during this seasonal shift.

“While some dams, such as the Von Bach, Tilda Viljoen, and Goreangab dams recorded slight increases or maintained their current levels, we have observed general declines in most of our major reservoirs,” he says.

“The Hardap, Neckartal, Swakoppoort and Omatako dams all showed notable reductions, indicating the impact of sustained dry conditions.”

Despite the declines, Namibia’s largest reservoir, the Neckartal Dam in the //Kharas region, remains at a strong 98.5% capacity.

“This is reassuring given the importance of Neckartal to agricultural projects in the south,” says Ndamanomhata, adding that current levels are still sufficient for planned irrigation and bulk water supply needs.

The Hardap Dam, which supplies Mariental and surrounding farming communities, also registered a minor drop, though still holding relatively stable reserves.

Meanwhile, the Swakoppoort and Omatako dams, which form part of the central area supply system feeding Windhoek, continued to trend downward, a pattern that NamWater says warrants careful observation.

The utility says although current storage levels remain above historical averages for this time of the year, the downward trend signals the start of a drier period and could affect water allocations if the pattern persists.

“We urge all consumers, including bulk users and municipalities, to continue using water responsibly,” says Ndamanomhata.

“Our monitoring teams are keeping a close eye on storage patterns to ensure that supply remains secure in the months ahead.”

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