Dam levels across the Western Cape saw substantial improvement for the week ending Monday, 30 June 2025. Total dam storage rose to 73.1%, an increase from 65.1% the previous week.
Western Cape dam levels on week ending Monday, 30 June 2025
Storage in the province’s main reservoirs showed marked improvement. Berg River Dam experienced the most dramatic gain, surging from 75.7 percent to 91.9 percent of capacity.
Theewaterskloof Dam, which supplies Cape Town, increased to 71.2 percent from 63.4 percent. Wemmershoek Dam rose to 73.7 percent, up from 62.7 percent, while Voëlvlei Dam climbed to 65.7 percent from 61.1 percent.
Steenbras Upper Dam edged ahead of the 95 percent mark, rising to 96.5 percent from 92.6 percent. Steenbras Lower was the only major reservoir that dipped, falling to 41.6 percent from 46.7 percent, due in part to increased urban water demand in its system.
Rainfall Analysis
The rainfall figures for June were notable. Newlands received 468.7 mm—well above the long-term average of 291 mm. Table Mountain’s Woodhead gauge measured 414.9 mm,
Wynberg recorded 281.3 mm, Steenbras caught 170.6 mm, Wemmershoek reached 193.0 mm, and Voëlvlei measured 126.0 mm. These above‑average totals drove the significant dam recoveries.
A look at changes in major dams
| Dam | Capacity (ML) | Storage % on 30 June 2025 | Storage % Previous Week | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theewaterskloof | 480188 | 71.2 | 63.4 | +7.8 |
| Voëlvlei | 164095 | 65.7 | 61.1 | +4.6 |
| Berg River | 130010 | 91.9 | 75.7 | +16.2 |
| Wemmershoek | 58644 | 73.7 | 62.7 | +11.0 |
| Steenbras Lower | 33622 | 41.6 | 46.7 | -5.1 |
| Steenbras Upper | 31767 | 96.5 | 92.6 | +3.9 |
Cape Town minor dams weekly changes
Minor dams around Cape Town showed strong responses to the rainfall.
Alexandra Dam nearly doubled its level, jumping from 49.5 percent to 99.0 percent. Hely‑Hutchinson Dam crossed 100 percent capacity at 100.7 percent, up from 54.4 percent. Woodhead Dam also surged, climbing from 49.5 percent to 82.8 percent.
De Villiers and Lewis Gay Dams both topped out at 100.9 percent, while Victoria Dam showed signs of life at 6.5 percent after being dry the prior week. Kleinplaats rose to 33.3 percent, and Land‑en‑Zeezicht improved from 71.8 percent to 75.3 percent.
| Dam | Capacity (ML) | Storage % on 30 June 2025 | Storage % Previous Week | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Gay | 57 | 100.9 | 91.3 | +9.6 |
| Wynberg | 103 | 100.9 | 93.0 | +7.9 |
| Alexandra | 85 | 99.0 | 49.5 | +49.5 |
| Victoria | 27 | 6.5 | 0.0 | +6.5 |
| Woodhead | 927 | 82.8 | 49.5 | +33.3 |
| Hely-Hutchinson | 955 | 100.7 | 54.4 | +46.3 |
| De Villiers | 243 | 100.9 | 90.6 | +10.3 |
| Kleinplaats | 8 | 33.3 | 30.0 | +3.3 |
| Land-en-Zeezicht | 17 | 75.3 | 71.8 | +3.5 |
Average daily water consumption stood at 839 million litres per day (MLD), placing modest pressure on supplies even as storage levels climbed. Major dams supplied 815 MLD, with minor dams providing 18 MLD and groundwater sources contributing 6 MLD.
Given the recent heavy rainfall, dam storage is expected to remain strong or continue to rise over the next week. Continued rainfall will be essential to maintain this recovery and support reservoir replenishment through the remainder of winter.
