Fears that the Senteeko Dam ison the brink of collapsingmay be unfounded after the latest Umjindi Barberton engineering reports show that dam levels are unlikely to increase. According toLowvelder, the reports shared that the De Kaap River was flowing at around 70 cubic metres per second overnight on Monday and is currently flowing at around 40 cubic metres per second. “The Crocodile River is currently flowing past Kaapmuiden at around 300 cubic metres per second.
This includes the inflow from the De Kaap River,” the report read. Engineering assessments showed that should the Senteeko Dam collapse, it would result in no more than 50 additional cubic metres per second in the volume of water flowing into the Crocodile River near Matsulu. “This means it will look very much like it did on Monday.
The Crocodile River will be no higher than at any peak in the past two weeks,” the report assured residents. As a result, the lower reaches of the De Kaap River, approaching the Crocodile River, would experience flood levels up to 30% higher than those recorded on Monday evening. Based on water levels recorded yesterday, the Crocodile River would likely return to its overnight levels of Monday.
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Evacuation orders along the De Kaap River remain and residents should take note that the higher reaches of its tributaries will reach dangerous levels in a short time if the dam collapses. The municipality warned residents to avoid low-water bridges crossing the river and to avoid putting themselves in any dangerous situations given the expected higher levels. Barberton area flood warning: Senteeko Dam wall at risk of collapse.#floods#dam#damwall#barberton EVACUATION ALERT! Residents and businesses downstream of Senteeko Dam (Barberton-Kaapsehoop) must evacuate immediately due to imminent risk of dam wall failure, which could release 1.82 million cubic metres of water into the Suidkaap area.#MpumalangaFloods2026#NationalDisaster…pic.twitter.com/9NZyJBsv09
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