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The combined level of Nelson Mandela Bay’s main supply dams are critical at just 17.55% of total combined capacity, according to the latest figures released by the SA Weather Service, and are dropping at just short of half a percentage point per week.
Garth Sampson at the PE Weather Office says he received reports of good falls in the Baviaans at the weekend but that a lot more rain is needed over a much wider area to make a major difference to dam levels.
He says he received unofficial reports of between 16mm and 72 mm in various parts of the Baviaans on Saturday night as thunderstorms passed through the area.
An official figure of 35 mm was reported from De Rust and Joubertina, in the heart of the Langkloof, received 24 mm in the space of just two hours.
Sampson says some of the weekend rain in the Baviaans will flow via Cambria and south of the Kouga dam into the sea, while some will flow past Rooihoek and Doodlsklip towards the Kouga Dam.
The Kouga Dam is Nelson Mandela Bay’s largest supply dam and is currently less than 10% full.
The Kouga measured 13 mm of rain at the weekend, and in other parts of the Langkloof, Kareedouw received 9.5 mm and Patensie 10 mm.
And in the Karoo, Graaff-Reinet received a welcome 44.4 mm from Friday through to 8 am on Monday.
