The Eastern Cape’s major dam systems are showing strong water levels, with most dams now at or above 90% capacity following recent heavy rains and flooding in parts of the province.

The recent floods in parts of the province resulted in damage to infrastructure, including roads and property, and caused disruption to daily life in affected communities.

In some areas such as low-lying and informal settlements, heavy rainfall led to localised flooding, with emergency response teams assisting with evacuations and other relief efforts.

While conditions have since improved in many places, the floods caused significant short-term impacts across several parts of the province.

According to the latest data released on June 8, the province’s 46 monitored dams recorded an average storage level of 91.9%, pointing to a healthy and stable water supply outlook across the region.

The average level of 97.7% also shows that most dams are doing very well, with many sitting close to or at full capacity.

Among the key dams, Kouga Dam remains above capacity at 103.3%, the third week that it has been above the 100% level.

Darlington Dam also recorded a strong increase, rising from 50.8% to its current level of 75.3% within a week, following significant inflows into the Sundays River catchment.

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According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, 46 provincial dams are being monitored.

This excludes Gariep Dam, the country’s largest reservoir, which is reported separately under national and Free State systems as part of the Orange River Water Scheme.

A total of 14 dams across the province are currently above 100% capacity and overflowing. Beervlei Dam is the highest at 133.0%, followed by Nqweba Dam at 106.3%, with several others also over full capacity.

Overall, 71.7% of the province’s dams are either full or overflowing, while a further 23.9% are at healthy operating levels.

The Algoa, Amathole, and Klipplaat water supply systems—which serve major towns and farming areas—are also performing well, supported by improved inflows across key catchments.

Earlier in the year, dam levels were lower, with provincial storage recorded at 81.5% in 2025, compared to 79.1% in the same period of 2026 before the recent rainfall improved conditions.

The latest figures now show a generally positive water outlook for the Eastern Cape, with dam systems benefiting from steady inflows over the past few weeks.