Engineers Rush to Stabilise Senteeko Dam as Failure Risk Raises Alarm

The intervention comes after the department was alerted to structural concerns at the privately owned dam, officially registered as My Own Dam.

South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has deployed a specialised team of dam safety engineers to urgently assess and monitor Senteeko Dam near Barberton in Mpumalanga, following reports that the structure may be at risk of failure.

The intervention comes after the department was alerted to structural concerns at the privately owned dam, officially registered as My Own Dam. Located within the City of Mbombela Local Municipality, the dam is classified as a medium-sized structure, standing 26 metres high with a storage capacity of 1.8 million cubic metres. It is owned by the Shamile Communal Property Association (CPA) and primarily used for irrigation.

Structural Erosion Raises Red Flags

According to DWS, its engineers are working alongside the dam owner’s appointed Approved Professional Person (APP) to conduct detailed technical assessments and continuous on-site monitoring.

Preliminary findings show that the dam’s concrete spillway is being undermined, with ongoing undercutting of the spillway channel posing a serious risk to the dam’s stability. Officials noted that the spillway slab is now partially suspended or cantilevered, increasing structural vulnerability.

Importantly, the department confirmed that there is currently no overtopping of the dam wall, and no excessive seepage has been observed in the earthfill embankment—key indicators that a catastrophic failure is not imminent but remains a possibility if erosion continues unchecked.

Emergency Measures Underway

As a precaution, the dam’s outlet valve has been fully opened in line with operating rules to lower water levels and reduce pressure on the spillway. However, elevated inflows from the Die Kaap River, a tributary feeding the dam, have limited the effectiveness of this measure.

DWS said the side-channel spillway is expected to continue releasing water, even if additional rainfall occurs, helping to prevent a worst-case scenario.

Communities on Alert

Authorities have identified Barberton Valley and nearby areas as the zones most likely to be affected should conditions deteriorate. Warnings, communication protocols, and evacuation processes are already being implemented by relevant disaster management structures.

The Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA) has reported that river flows upstream of the dam have been decreasing since 19 January 2026, offering some relief. Meanwhile, the Crocodile River, around 60 kilometres away, remains within normal recent peak levels.

DWS added that even in the event of an unforeseen dam failure, cross-border impacts on Mozambique are expected to be minimal, as current transboundary flows are already elevated due to recent flooding.

Call to Action: Safety First

“The Department of Water and Sanitation takes dam safety seriously,” the department said, urging residents to comply fully with evacuation orders, avoid low-water bridges, and stay away from rivers and flood-prone areas.

As climate-driven rainfall extremes place increasing pressure on ageing and privately owned water infrastructure, the Senteeko Dam situation underscores the growing need for proactive monitoring, transparent risk communication, and rapid-response engineering interventions.