Dam levels soar

THE third largest water reservoir in Namibia, the Swakoppoort Dam southwest of Okahandja, started spilling water on Friday after heavy rains over central and northern Namibia had the dam filling up to beyond it holding capacity.

Before the first major rainfall of the current rainy season started coming down over central Namibia from early February, the Swakoppoort Dam was about half full. The dam’s level had risen to 87,6 per cent of its holding capacity of 63,4 million cubic metres by Monday last week.Having received further inflows of water since Wednesday, the dam reached the 101 per cent mark on Friday morning and started spilling water as its level continued to rise to the 104,4 per cent mark by Friday afternoon, according to an update on the levels of Namibia’s main storage dams released by the Namibia Water Corporation on Friday.The Swakoppoort Dam is one of the major reservoirs providing to Windhoek and Okahandja.The country’s largest dam, the 294-million-cubic-metre Hardap Dam near Mariental, which had been 26,6 per cent full in early February, also again received inflows during last week, prompting NamWater to open the dam’s gates on Wednesday and again on Friday.The Hardap Dam’s level had risen to the 70,8 per cent mark around noon on Wednesday, when the sluice gates were opened to bring its level down to the 70 per cent mark again.By Friday morning, the dam’s level had risen again to 70.6 per cent.After the gates had been opened again, the dam’s level was reduced to the 69,5 percent mark by Friday afternoon.Water also continued to flow into the country’s second largest dam, the Naute Dam in the Keetmanshoop area, during last week.The Naute Dam, which had been 50,2 per cent full in early February, was 83,7 per cent full on Monday last week, whereafter its level rose further to 89,2 per cent of its capacity of 83,5 million cubic metres on Friday, according to NamWater.The Von Bach Dam near Okahandja, which has a capacity of 48,5 million cubic metres and is another of the major reservoirs holding water for the central areas of the country, had been 51,4 per cent full in early February, 73,5 per cent full on Monday last week, and 83,5 per cent full by Friday.The Omatako Dam, also holding water for the central part of the country, had been 17 per cent full in early February.By Friday, this dam, with a capacity of 43,5 million cubic metres, was filled to 92,6 percent of its capacity.The Oanob Dam near Rehoboth was another dam that has received an inflow of water over the past week.Having been 58,4 per cent full in early February, the level of this 34,5-million-cubic-metre dam rose to 84,7 per cent of its capacity by Monday last week, and increased further to 87,7 per cent by Friday.The dam’s level had risen to 87,6 per cent of its holding capacity of 63,4 million cubic metres by Monday last week.Having received further inflows of water since Wednesday, the dam reached the 101 per cent mark on Friday morning and started spilling water as its level continued to rise to the 104,4 per cent mark by Friday afternoon, according to an update on the levels of Namibia’s main storage dams released by the Namibia Water Corporation on Friday.The Swakoppoort Dam is one of the major reservoirs providing to Windhoek and Okahandja.The country’s largest dam, the 294-million-cubic-metre Hardap Dam near Mariental, which had been 26,6 per cent full in early February, also again received inflows during last week, prompting NamWater to open the dam’s gates on Wednesday and again on Friday.The Hardap Dam’s level had risen to the 70,8 per cent mark around noon on Wednesday, when the sluice gates were opened to bring its level down to the 70 per cent mark again.By Friday morning, the dam’s level had risen again to 70.6 per cent.After the gates had been opened again, the dam’s level was reduced to the 69,5 percent mark by Friday afternoon.Water also continued to flow into the country’s second largest dam, the Naute Dam in the Keetmanshoop area, during last week.The Naute Dam, which had been 50,2 per cent full in early February, was 83,7 per cent full on Monday last week, whereafter its level rose further to 89,2 per cent of its capacity of 83,5 million cubic metres on Friday, according to NamWater.The Von Bach Dam near Okahandja, which has a capacity of 48,5 million cubic metres and is another of the major reservoirs holding water for the central areas of the country, had been 51,4 per cent full in early February, 73,5 per cent full on Monday last week, and 83,5 per cent full by Friday.The Omatako Dam, also holding water for the central part of the country, had been 17 per cent full in early February.By Friday, this dam, with a capacity of 43,5 million cubic metres, was filled to 92,6 percent of its capacity.The Oanob Dam near Rehoboth was another dam that has received an inflow of water over the past week.Having been 58,4 per cent full in early February, the level of this 34,5-million-cubic-metre dam rose to 84,7 per cent of its capacity by Monday last week, and increased further to 87,7 per cent by Friday.