Posted on 10th February 2010 by admin in Articles
crowds, dam, dam wall, flood gates, flooding, floods, gauteng, heavy rains, highveld, sluice gates, South Africa, vaal, vaal river
The Vaal Dam which recently burst it’s banks due to massive amounts of rain on the South African Highveld drew thousands of spectators to see the massive release of water from the Dam wall, an event which was last seen 14 years ago. Many enterprising South African’s seized the opportunity to set up shop on the roadsides to cater to the hungry tummy’s and thirsty throats of the tourists flocking to the site and overall a very festive mood prevailed. Despite the traffic chaos everyone seemed to get along just fine and slowly move their way through and across the bridge over the river.
At one point as many as 14 sluice gates were open and the water being released from the Vaal dam wall was like a raging monster emitting a massive cloud of water vapour into the sky above making clear photographs of the dam while quite tricky. The photo below captured by South African landscape photographer and freelance photojournalist Mitchell Krog is one such image where the amount of flood gates opened was 14. At the height of release of water from the Dam an amount of 2 040m³ of water per second was being released from the dam wall.
Like a raging beast water gushes out from 14 sluice gates on the Vaal dam wall due to heavy rains in the province which caused the Vaal Dam to burst it's banks. At the point of 14 sluices being open an amount of 2 040m³ of water per second was being released from the dam wall. - Photo: Copyright Mitchell Krog / Living Canvas Photography
Due to the large amount of water being released from the Dam wall, many road ways further downstream in the Vereeneging area were affected by flooding causing traffic chaos in the city and surrounds. The traffic officials sure had their hands full but seemed to control the chaos quite well. Traffic at the dam wall was really chaotic with cars parked everywhere and others trying to squeeze their way through the parked cars and people on foot.
Recent flooding at the Vaal dam drew crowds from afar who flocked to see the spectacle of a major river in flood. At one point authorities in the region had 14 sluice gates opened due to the massive amount of water flowing into the Vaal dam from the heavy rainfalls around the Gauteng region. Photo: Copyright Mitchell Krog / Living Canvas Photography
As of this week levels in the Vaal Dam have stabilised and they are down to only 5 flood gates being open with authorities saying they may close more today. The situation is still being closely monitored as rains continue to fall around the province onto already water-logged ground which can still result in more flooding but for the most part the big spectacle is probably over for now.
"Like a raging monster" - water gushing from the Vaal Dam wall after 14 sluice gates were opened due to heavy rainfalls in the region. Photo: Copyright Mitchell Krog / Living Canvas Photography
Posted on 9th February 2010 by admin in Articles
dam, flooding, floods, highveld, infrared, IR, rainfalls, sluice gates, South Africa, vaal, vaal river, vereeneging, wilge river
Two weeks ago the Vaal Dam in the Vereeneging Area of South Africa burst it’s banks due to massive amounts of rain on the highveld of South Africa. This resulted in Authorities opening 13 sluice gates to release the massive amounts of water flowing into the dam. At one point the Dam was 109% full with large amount of water still flowing in from rivers and it was at this point that authorities had to open 13 flood gates. The spectacle last seen in 1997 drew huge crowds of people which only added to the traffic chaos in the Vereeniging area and traffic authorities were taxed in their duties. Numerous roadways were also flooded due to the amount of water being released from the dam.
As of today the amount of sluice gates open is now down to only 5 and authorities have stated they may close another on or two tomorrow morning but they are still closely monitoring the dam as rain continues to fall around the province.
Mitchell Krog travelled out to the Dam wall on the 30th of January 2010 at the height of the release of water from the dam wall and took the image below using Infrared. “The water coming out of the dam wall was raging like a monster, creating a massive cloud of mist that seemed to join seemlessly into the clouds above it. It was quite something to see many enterprising South African’s who used the opportunity to sell food and drink to the thousands of South African’s who came to see this spectacle” said Mitchell.
The Vaal Dam in South Africa with 13 sluice gates opened as authorities scrambled to release as much water a spossible due to the dam bursting it's banks due to heavy rainfalls in the Highveld region of South Africa - Copyright Mitchell Krog / Living Canvas Photography
Posted on 23rd September 2009 by admin in Articles |Lightning |Magaliesburg |Night Photography |Photography |SA Photographers |South Africa
gauteng, highveld, Lightning, rain, relief, South Africa, spring, struck, summer, thunder, thunderstorms
The Spring Solstice could not have been a better time for the first thunder and lightning storms to arrive on the Highveld of South Africa. After a very long and dry winter, you can hear both man and nature breathe a sigh of relief. With more rain apparently on the way we can only hope that we have a good rain season this coming Summer, it sure is very much needed. For a big portion of South Africa it is now time to start unplugging modems and computers or risk losing them through a lightning strike.
The First Thunderstorm of 2009. Lightning, thunder and rain, there is quite simply nothing quite like it. From Mitchell Krog's Lightning Photography Portfolios. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
