Rain and storm for Cpt

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So took some leave and went to the Matroosberg yesterday. There was quite a bit of snow even on the tar road leading to the farm - lots of people just stopping there and have fun in the snow on the side of the road. Arrived there at 9AM and although it was a weekday still had to queue for about an hour to get the permits.

The 4x4 trail was closed, so we went up the 4x2 road, hiked a bit, droned a bit etc. Proper snow. Because of all the snow the 4x2 trail is actually a 4x4 trail higher up.

When we came down around lunch time they just opened up the first stretch of the 4x4 trail so we were able to go up there to one of the view points (Lakensvlei or something like that as I recall). We were only about 6 cars that went up there in the end. Snow up there even better. Saw a Discovery (think it was a 3) that looks like its air suspension must've broken a few days prior and they just left it on the mountain for now!

Great day trip. Long day in the end.

I have a bit of mixed emotions about the management of the farm. The logistics can be better, but that said they are doing their best but are not geared to handle it and I'm not actually sure if it even is possible to properly prepare for the few days a year when thousands of people arrive at once. Rest of the year there I guess they have very few visitors. I kept checking their FB for updates upfront which helped, but once we were there and in the queue you don't really know what is going on, there is no reception to check their FB etc. The map they give you is also very vague, can be so much better. We didn't spot any marshals in the morning, suspect they were busy trying to open the 4x4 route. Only saw the marshals at lunch, but also hard to spot them (wear bibs or something man, and take charge of the situation!). A lot of people standing around, cars blocking each other etc. Fortunately everyone is extremely chilled (see what I did there?) and patient. Can't even imagine what a weekend must look like though!
 
air said:
I have been looking at Clanwilliam dam recently, from a capacity perspective, a bit smaller than Berg River, but what is incredible, is how quickly it can fill up.

View attachment 874615

They were talking of raising the dam wall to significantly increase capacity, but with all the corruption at national Water Board, quite sure it has been put on hold.
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There is an online graph for the Clanwilliam Dam. Incredible rate of increase, from 30% to 80% in a week!

RTGraph.aspx


Source: http://www.dwa.gov.za/Hydrology/Unverified/UnverifiedDataFlowInfo.aspx
 
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I think the Clanwilliam Dam is going to be raised, as the last time I drove past there were a lot of machines and contractor camps being setup...

As for the sandstorm up here, feckin terrible, it will blow for three more days...

Its not as you chaps would imagine, but like a fine powder, that gets in everwhere, Even when I go to bed one can taste and feel it on the floor , on the bedding, on the blinds.....it is everywhere.... in the darkness as I lay in bed I can feel the fine particles in my throat...... not pleasant, but what can you do..... my 21000lt portypool looks like a dumper truck dropped a sand dune in it..
 
Mortymoose said:
I think the Clanwilliam Dam is going to be raised, as the last time I drove past there were a lot of machines and contractor camps being setup...

As for the sandstorm up here, feckin terrible, it will blow for three more days...

Its not as you chaps would imagine, but like a fine powder, that gets in everwhere, Even when I go to bed one can taste and feel it on the floor , on the bedding, on the blinds.....it is everywhere.... in the darkness as I lay in bed I can feel the fine particles in my throat...... not pleasant, but what can you do..... my 21000lt portypool looks like a dumper truck dropped a sand dune in it..
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Sleep with your mask on?
Do like the desert nomads- have a huge piece of lap handy that you can wind over your face.
Know all about that dust ----

You must see what that mineral-laden dust could do to old valve comms equipment.
 
Last week was relatively dry, but the runoff into the Cape Metropole dams still produced an increase of 4.5% to 77.2%: http://www.capetown.gov.za/Family a...and-sanitation-services/this-weeks-dam-levels

The long-term charts show this is close to the 5 year maximum level reached at the end of last winter (2019), with several weeks of the winter season remaining. See: http://resource.capetown.gov.za/doc...ity research reports and review/damlevels.pdf

Very little rain is predicted for the next 7-10 days, but gradual inflows will still continue. If we have some good falls in August, this could push levels above 90%. Since the Berg River Dam is already 98% full, reaching an average of 100% would require exceptional rains over the Theewaterskloof catchment (currently 73%), or a prolonged period of transfer pumping (around 0.1% per day).
 
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wheres the 6 inches you promised me @Gordon_R ?
i thought we were going to have rain now

whats the forecast for the week

i hope not bone dry again
 
Does anybody know at what dam level the water restrictions will be reduced in the Western Cape? Seems like it should be but our feerless leaders seem to have forgotten?
 
robgun said:
Does anybody know at what dam level the water restrictions will be reduced in the Western Cape? Seems like it should be but our feerless leaders seem to have forgotten?
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they wont during the pandemic
they need as much money as possible
so until 2021 or 2022 dont expect any free lunches by our ANC guavament
 
Papa Smurf said:
they wont during the pandemic
they need as much money as possible
so until 2021 or 2022 dont expect any free lunches by our ANC guavament
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Water restrictions are set by the DA run Western Cape government.

robgun said:
Does anybody know at what dam level the water restrictions will be reduced in the Western Cape? Seems like it should be but our feerless leaders seem to have forgotten?
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We are currently at level 1 restrictions, I doubt they'll ease off to level 0 until our winter season is over, and they can gauge dam levels going into the summer months.
 
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