The National Siltation Management Strategy for Dams in South Africa is a programme funded by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and managed by the Water Research Commission (WRC) that aims to develop and pilot a strategy that will guide, advise and ensure effective siltation management and related improved storage capacity of dams, especially the 320 state-owned dams operated by the DWS.
The programme sets out to address reservoir storage losses experienced due to dam siltation, the accumulation of sediments and silt in dams as a result of soil erosion. The programme is of great importance due to the ongoing water crisis faced in South Africa, of which is exacerbated by losses in water supply in a time of increasing demand.Â
