Annual drawdown of Zeekoevlei to flush the system
28 April 2023
Yesterday, 27 April 2023, staff from the False Bay Nature Reserve and community groups conducted the annual drawdown of the Zeekoevlei weir. The drawdown always happens on Freedom Day and is a much anticipated event. The lowering of the six sluice gates allows the vlei to drain more than half of its water which assists to improve the overall water quality and health of the wetland. Read more below:
‘The annual drawdown is a popular event among Friends of Rondevlei and Zeekoevlei, and other community groups that are closely involved with this wetland that is situated in the False Bay Nature Reserve. Yesterday’s operation was a bit tricky with nature reserve staff having to get deep into the vlei waters to lower the six sluice gates.
‘The purpose of the drawdown is to flush the vlei of pollutants that have built up in the system over the past 12 months. We usually open the sluice gates annually, on 27 April, which also happens to be Freedom Day. This is after the first rains, at the end of autumn. The lower water levels will make it easier for our crews to do manual clean-up with the removal of litter and water hyacinth. They will get started with this work within the next two weeks, once enough water has drained from the vlei,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The sluice gates usually remain open until mid-July, after several cold fronts have moved through Cape Town and flushed the system.
‘I want to thank everybody who assisted with yesterday’s operation. It is inspirational and encouraging to see our communities getting involved in interventions to restore and rehabilitate our natural environment,’ said Alderman Andrews.
The Spatial Planning and Environment Directorate has budgeted R49 million over the next three financial years for the lowering of the Zeekoevlei weir to allow a greater drawdown of water to assist in improving water quality.
Captions: Yesterday, 27 April 2023, staff from the City’s False Bay Nature Reserve with assistance from community groups, opened the weir at Zeekoevlei for the annual flushing of the system. The City of Cape Town is an international Wetland City. The City has budgeted R49 million over the next three financial years for the lowering of the Zeekoevlei weir to allow a greater drawdown of water to assist in improving water quality.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
