HOWICK – Organisers of the 2019 FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon are confident that, with the heavy summer rains expected in the inland regions of KwaZulu-Natal, the levels of the uMsundusi and uMngeni Rivers will be good when the iconic event takes place from February 14 to 16.
The 2018 edition of the FNB Dusi saw a break-through in day three conditions where paddlers were able to paddle the section below the Inanda Dam wall at a level of around eight cubic metres per second.
This meant that the event has become less reliant on large amounts of water from the Inanda Dam.
“Inanda Dam was 48 percent full this time last year, it’s now at 78 percent full and that is a huge difference,” general manager of the Dusi Steve Botha said.
“The dams up-river are almost overflowing and so, once that happens, then hopefully Inanda will also full up from that.
“If Inanda overflows that would be incredible, but I am still confident that we will have some good water on day three.”
Kevin Trodd, the KZN Canoe Union Water Liaison Officer, has created a strong relationship between himself and the team at Umgeni Water.
“We are still working with the same team at Umgeni Water and, through their team of hydrologists and scientists, they have worked out that there are many more advantages to releasing larger amounts of water below the Inanda Dam wall,” said Trodd.
“Our system is working well and the team is happy that what we are doing isn’t jeopardising any water to the greater Durban area, so it is a win-win situation.”