Niël Terblanché
NAMWATER indicated that the Von Bach Dam will reach 99 percent of its capacity in the next few hours and that the sluice gates will be opened for the first time in years.
Late on Friday evening, NamWater issued a warning to people living on the banks of the Swakop River that once the dam reaches 100 percent capacity that water behind the all will be set losses and that floods might occur as the water races downstream.
With sustained heavy rainfall over the catchment areas of the rivers that feeds into the dam, the water level might reach anything up to 99 percent overnight and the sluice gates might be opened at any time when the dam reaches full capacity between now and Sunday.
Water set free from the Von Bach Dam will flow down the Swakop River and will feed into the Swakoppoort dam about 100 kilometres downstream. The Swakoppoort Dam has also filled up past the 50 percent mark over the past week and a half.
