The September 2023 flood — the worst in 75 years — showed that Stanford needed a better understanding of the river catchment and an early-warning system.
The early-warning system
With support from the Flood Buddies and a R40 000 municipal ward grant, R115 000 was raised to install:
- a real-time river level monitoring station 12 km upstream from the R43 bridge;
- a rainfall station near Tesselaarsdal;
- river level gauges on the R43 bridge.
These tools improve prediction and community alerts for heavy rainfall. Flood specialists Stuart Dunsmore and Chris James provided advanced modelling and data collection free of charge.
We also keep reed growth in check along the river (see Reed Management), which helps the channel carry water in smaller floods.
A note on warnings. Rain, river and flood information on this page is shared to help residents stay aware. It is not an official warning, and it does not replace official warnings. In an emergency, always follow official guidance from the South African Weather Service and the Overstrand Municipality.
Want to help? Email admin@stanfordconservation.org.
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