News

An underwater survey conducted at the Garden Route Dam in George

in May, indicates that the volume of the dam basin is 10 percent more than previously determined in a survey in 1984.

With this latest information and after the recent rains, the dam level is now at 45.5%.

“This is good news for George, and a welcome change after the low dam levels of the past year,” said George civil and technical services portfolio councillor, Myron Rabinowitz at a press conference on Friday.

“The new dam survey indicates that the volume of the dam basin is in fact 10% more than was previously indicated. This is exceptionally positive news and the George municipality thanks the George office of the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) for this valued initiative.”

Rabinowitz said the information from the latest survey will be used when determining emergency tariffs. “This will benefit the consumer as the higher tariffs can be lifted sooner, once the required 60% dam level is reached.”

He urged George residents to continue using water sparingly as restrictions are still in place and will only be lifted once the dam level has stabilised at 60% for a period of two months.

The increase in dam level, added Rabinowitz, represents an increase of 70% in the volume of water since July 2009, when the dam was at the same level.

The survey, which was instigated by the DWA and the National Water Research Institute (NWRI), Southern Operations, was done utilising the latest technology.  Real Time Kinemetic (RTK), Global Positioning System (GPS) and single beam echo sounding equipment linked to a computer with Hypack software were used

Harold Basson, senior manager Civil and Technical Services said the surveying technique used by NWRI is very effective for shallow water dams and is used worldwide.

“All the surveyors who worked on this job are highly skilled with more than 20 years experience in this field of surveying.”

For the past 14 months George has been gripped in the worst recorded drought in 132 years. In February the level of the Garden Route Dam reached an all time low of 16.9 %.

Timely rainfalls of 135 mm in the catchment area of the dam in February resulted in an increase of 8% to 9% over a two week period, improving the situation and bringing stability to the dam. Rainfalls during June and July brought the dam level to 35.5% last week, before the good news of an extra 10% volume was revealed.