Here’s what level the Vaal Dam stands at this week

The Vaal Dam remains above 100% capacity as sustained rainfall across the Upper Vaal Water Management Area continues to bolster one of South Africa’s most critical water resources. This is according to the latest data fromThe Reservoir, a Water Resource Information Centre for the Catchment Management Forums. As of Thursday, 5 February 2026, the dam stood at 101.89%.

The Reservoirreported that inflows at 117.1m3/s were being recorded, substantially exceeding the outflow at 21.4m3/s being released from the dam. The current capacity represents a remarkable recovery compared to the same period last year, when the dam registered just 61.12% on 4 February 2025. Historical data compiled byThe Reservoirreveals a volatile decade for the water source, with levels fluctuating dramatically from year to year.

Furthermore, theReservoir’srecords indicate that the dam has experienced similar overflow conditions only twice in recent years, in early February. In 2023, the facility stood at 100.30%, while in 2022 it peaked at 105.40% with one gate open to manage excess water. In 2014, the facility reached 99.50%; in 2015, the level was 84.17%.

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The lowest recent levels occurred in 2016, when the dam dropped to 52.05% on 4 February, and in 2020, when it stood at just 56.98% during the same period. Over the four-day period from 2 to 5 February, the dam levels increased slightly.

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