Dam · Free State · South Africa · DWS
Groothoek Dam
97.9% full
Total capacity
11.9 Mm³
River
Kgabanyane River
Basin
Unknown
Primary use
water supply
Operator
DWS South Africa
Coordinates
-29.303°S, 26.848°E
Last updated
2026-10-05
Current fill
97.9%vs 7 days ago
-1.3%losing
vs 1 year ago
N/A7-day trend
→stable
Drought context
Rain over the last three months · 21 September 2026
Extremely wet
In the three months to 21 September 2026 the area around Groothoek Dam had exceptionally wet, seen about one year in forty. Rainfall compared with the long-run record for the same season at this point (Copernicus Global Drought Observatory, SPI-3 index +2.21). Rain, not storage. South Africa drought figures →
Weekly storage
Fill history — multi-year
About this dam
Data source
official
Storage data: Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Weekly State of Dams report, South Africa.
Catchment Weather
Past 30 days + 14-day forecast · Open-Meteo
About Groothoek Dam
As of October 5, 2026, Groothoek Dam is filled to 97.9% of its total capacity, holding roughly 12 Mm³ of water out of a maximum 12 Mm³. At this level the reservoir is high.
Over the most recent week on record the fill level has held broadly steady (-1.3 pts).
Across the readings we hold for Groothoek Dam — 17 data points between May 31, 2026 and October 5, 2026 — the level has ranged from a low of 91.4% (September 21, 2026) to a high of 99.2% (June 9, 2026). On average the reservoir is fullest around May and at its lowest around August.
It is operated by DWS South Africa primarily for water supply. It lies within the Unknown basin at 29.303°S, 26.848°E.
Key facts
- Current fill level
- 97.9%
- Water stored
- 12 Mm³
- Total capacity
- 12 Mm³
- 7-day change
- ▼ 1.3 pts
- Primary use
- Water supply
- River
- Kgabanyane River
- River basin
- Unknown
- Operator
- DWS South Africa
- Coordinates
- 29.303°S, 26.848°E
- Last updated
- October 5, 2026
Recent readings
| Date | Fill level | Volume (Mm³) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2026 | 97.9% | 12 |
| 28 Sep 2026 | 99.2% | 12 |
| 21 Sep 2026 | 91.4% | 11 |
| 31 Aug 2026 | 92.6% | 11 |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 93.2% | 11 |
| 17 Aug 2026 | 93.6% | 11 |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 93.6% | 11 |
| 3 Aug 2026 | 94.4% | 11 |
| 27 Jul 2026 | 95.2% | 11 |
| 29 Jun 2026 | 97.5% | 12 |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 97.5% | 12 |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 99.2% | 12 |
Nearby reservoirs
See also: South Africa dam levels, explained — how the DWS Weekly State of Dams report becomes the national and provincial figures.