South Africa Dam Levels Today
Weekly water storage updates for all 9 provinces - Vaal Dam, Theewaterskloof, Gariep and 200+ reservoirs. Data from the Department of Water and Sanitation. Latest report: 2026-04-20.
As of Monday, 20 April 2026, South African dams are on average 94.4% full nationally. North West dams are the fullest at 101.8%, while Western Cape is lowest at 42.2%. Gauteng at 101.4%, Western Cape at 42.2%, Free State at 101.1%.
20 Largest Dams in South Africa - Current Levels
Ranked by full supply capacity (Mm3). Click a dam name for detailed history and trend chart.
| Dam | Province | Capacity (Mm3) | This Week | vs Last Week | vs Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gariep Orange | Free State | 4903 | 101.9% | +4.5 | -4.4 |
| Vanderkloof | Free State | 3137 | 98.4% | -2.0 | -2.6 |
| Sterkfontein Nuwejaarspruit | Free State | 2617 | 99.8% | +0.0 | +0.0 |
| Vaal Vaal | Free State | 2561 | 102.1% | -0.9 | -6.7 |
| Pongolapoort | KwaZulu-Natal | 2395 | 85.1% | +0.4 | -14.9 |
| Bloemhof Vaal | Free State | 1243 | 107.2% | +2.0 | +1.3 |
| Theewaterskloof Riviersonderend | Western Cape | 479 | 43.2% | -0.4 | -18.3 |
| Heyshope Assegaai | Mpumalanga | 445 | 102% | -0.2 | +0.7 |
| Loskop Olifants | Mpumalanga | 362 | 100.9% | +0.4 | +0.0 |
| Woodstock | KwaZulu-Natal | 355 | 95.8% | -2.7 | -2.3 |
| Grootdraai Vaal | Mpumalanga | 350 | 100.4% | -0.3 | -3.1 |
| De Hoop Steelpoort | Limpopo | 349 | 100.7% | +0.2 | -0.3 |
| Kalkfontein | Free State | 325 | 101.6% | +0.2 | +4.0 |
| Goedertrouw | KwaZulu-Natal | 301 | 99.2% | -0.4 | -1.7 |
| Brandvlei Lower Brandvlei | Western Cape | 286 | 33.6% | -0.3 | -11.7 |
| Albert Falls | KwaZulu-Natal | 286 | 100.1% | -0.1 | -9.0 |
| Spioenkop Tugela | KwaZulu-Natal | 271 | 100.1% | -0.2 | -1.5 |
| Driekoppies | Mpumalanga | 251 | 100.8% | -0.2 | +7.9 |
| Umtata Mtata | Eastern Cape | 245 | 100.2% | +0.0 | -2.0 |
| Inanda Mgeni | KwaZulu-Natal | 237 | 101.3% | -0.2 | -4.1 |
Dam Levels by Province
Frequently Asked Questions About South African Dam Levels
What is the current Vaal Dam level?
The Vaal Dam is the primary water supply reservoir for Gauteng. See the table above for the current level.
Are South African dams running dry?
No. As of 2026-04-20, South African dams are on average 94.4% full nationally. The critical threshold is generally around 25-30% - below which water restrictions become severe. At 94.4%, the national system has adequate reserve capacity.
Which province has the lowest dam levels in South Africa?
As of 2026-04-20, Western Cape has the lowest average dam level at 42.2%. This is a capacity-weighted average across all 44 dams tracked in the province.
When do water restrictions start in South Africa?
Water restrictions in South Africa are typically introduced when dam levels in a supply system drop below 50% and intensify below 30%. The exact levels and restriction stages vary by municipality. Cape Town introduced strict restrictions when Theewaterskloof dropped below 30% in 2018. Gauteng has its own restriction schedule tied to Vaal Dam levels managed by Rand Water.
How often are dam levels updated?
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) publishes weekly dam level reports every Monday. This page updates automatically every Monday from the official DWS PDF report. The "report date" shown at the top of the page is the date of the latest DWS data release.
What is full supply capacity (FSC) for a dam?
Full Supply Capacity (FSC) is the maximum volume of water a dam is designed to hold, measured in million cubic metres (Mm3). When a dam is described as "80% full", it means the current water volume is 80% of its FSC. Values over 100% are possible during very wet periods when water is flowing over the spillway.
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