Cold front to bring strong winds

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The South African Weather Services has issued a notice that a cold front that will bring light rain over the Southern Cape as well as strong winds and rough seas. The front will make landfall on Tuesday.

Anton Bredell, the Western Cape minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, says in a statement the provincial dam levels are looking very good for this time of year, but concerns remain about an agricultural drought in some parts of the province.

According to the latest dam level issued by George Municipality on Wednesday 21 July, the Garden Route Dam was 100% full last week. Its level measured against the new dam wall height was an estimated 75.30%. The daily water usage in George is on average 28.55 megalitres.

Section 2B water restrictions for George have been lifted by the municipality on 25 March, but are being enforced in Uniondale.

The latest average dam level for dams in the Western Cape is 75.6% (2020: 60.6%) while the latest average level for dams providing water to the City of Cape Town, is 96.9% (2020: 77.56%).

Bredell said based on the latest bi-annual veld assessment, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture has categorised the veld conditions in parts of the Central Karoo, Garden Route and northern part of the West Coast District as critical or extremely critical. "This follows years of continued drought in those areas.”

He welcomed the National Disaster Management Centre's national drought declaration for South Africa on 20 July. “We believe it will open the way to securing further support for farmers in the drought-stricken areas.”

"The provincial department of agriculture has to date supported 1 115 Western Cape farmers located in drought-stricken areas with fodder support to date."

Major dam statistics

Voëlvlei Dam – 83.9% full this week (2020: 72.5%. Last week: 80.8%)
Bergriver Dam 100% full this week (2020: 97.5%. Last week: 100%).
Theewaterskloof dam – 102% full this week (2020: 73%. Last week: 101.5%)
Clanwilliam Dam 99.91%. (2020: 71.8%. Last week: 99.9%)