The Department of Water and Sanitation has assured the public that the Kouga Dam remains structurally safe and fully operational despite water levels exceeding capacity following heavy rainfall in its catchment area.
This comes amid growing public concern as the current water levels at Kouga Dam reached approximately 120.6% following recent high inflows.
According to the department, peak outflows recorded on the morning of 7 May 2026 were estimated at 2,491 cubic metres per second, equivalent to a one-in-50-year flood event.
Department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said these outflows remain well within the dam’s design limits.
“Kouga Dam is performing exactly as designed and remains structurally safe,” Mavasa said.
She explained that Kouga Dam is a 72-metre-high double curvature concrete arch dam with an uncontrolled spillway and two radial gates.
The spillway alone can discharge more than 6 100 cubic metres per second of water, before overtopping the non-overspill crest, which is more than double the current outflow.
“The reservoir provides flood attenuation, allowing large volumes of inflow to be temporarily stored, thereby reducing downstream flood peaks,” she said.
Mavasa added that even in the unlikely event of overtopping, the structural integrity of the dam would not be compromised.
The department confirmed that the radial gates are currently not in operation as a precautionary measure due to the presence of Alkali–Aggregate Reaction (AAR), a condition that causes concrete to expand.
“Operating the gates under these conditions may create challenges in safely closing them, potentially resulting in permanent loss of storage capacity. The uncontrolled spillway is adequate to safely pass current and anticipated flows, making gate operation unnecessary, which is about 15% of the overall discharge capacity,” Mavasa said.
Residents and communities living downstream of Kouga Dam have been urged to remain cautious, as river levels may rise above normal flood lines during periods of spillage.
“The department continues to closely monitor inflows, reservoir levels and the dam’s structural behaviour,” Mavasa said, adding that all necessary precautions are in place to safeguard communities.
Algoa water supply system upsurge
Meanwhile, the Algoa Water Supply System has seen a sharp recovery over the past 48 hours, with dam levels rising significantly following the recent rainfall.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Churchill Dam stood at 115%, Impofu Dam at 92%, Loerie Dam at 119%, and Groendal Dam at 72%.
This marks a dramatic turnaround from just days earlier, when overall system storage had dropped to 35.6% on 4 May 2026.
The department said the improved dam levels bring much-needed relief to water security in the region, following a prolonged period of declining surface water storage. – SAnews.gov.za
