What is the Biggest Dam in South Africa?
The beautiful scenery and vibrant culture of South Africa are well-known worldwide. Even though some of these enormous dams were constructed for irrigation, the production of energy, and home and industrial purposes, they are today the most well-liked tourist destinations.
Dams are crucial pieces of infrastructure for the growth of every country. While some are used to supply energy, others have irrigation capabilities for use during the dry season. Numerous buildings can be found around the nation, but in this piece we’ll focus on some of South Africa’s largest dams. Continue reading.
Which South African dam is the largest?
The largest dam in South Africa, the Gariep Dam, is situated not far from Norvalspont. It’s situated along the Orange River. The Gariep has a length of around 914 meters and a height of 88 meters. The dam was built in 1965 and made operational in 1971. The amount of concrete needed to build it was about 1.73 million m3. About 5, 340,000 megalitres of water can be stored in this dam. The Gariep Dam is used for power production, household, industrial, and agricultural purposes.
Dimensions: 374 km2 (144 sq. mi)
360 MW of installed capacity (480,000 Hp)
Between the provinces of the Free State and the Eastern Cape, at Norvalspont town, a concrete gravity-arch hydro reservoir was built in 1965 and inaugurated in 1971. It has a surface area of 353 million m2, is 88 meters high, and is 914 meters long.
Why was the dam constructed?
The dam was built for residential and agricultural irrigation. Industrial, and the production of power. The dam was built by the Department of Water and Sanitation over the course of six years, from 1966 to 1972, and its wall was lifted in 1988 so that water could be supplied to the Free State, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape.
Can it Generator for electricity
The outflow structure on the left side of the dam is used to service the hydroelectric plant (eskom), which can produce up to 360 MW of electricity at a flow rate of 800 m3/s (four generators, each with a capacity of 90 MW at a flow rate of roughly 200 m3/s).
Who is in charge of the dams in South Africa?
The administration of dam safety for all water storage dams greater than 5 meters is also the responsibility of DWA.in size (including State owned dams). The Department of Mineral Resources and DWA jointly oversee tailings dam safety.
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Reason for Name Change
When it was first put into service in 1971, the Gariep Dam was given the name Hendrik Verwoerd Dam in honor of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, the country’s first prime minister. However, the name was formally changed to Gariep Dam following the end of apartheid since it was deemed inappropriate.
Second-largest Dam
Dam at Vanderkloof
It is 130 kilometers downstream of Gariep Dam. The dam was built in 1973 and made operational in 1977. With a 3,187.557 million cubic meter capacity, Vanderkloof Dam is the second largest dam in South Africa.
240 MW of installed capacity 320 MW (480,000 horsepower); 320,000 hp (max)
932 GWh generated year (3,360 TJ)
3,236 million cubic meters (114.3 109 cu ft) total capacity
Which dam provides power to Johannesburg?
The Katse dam in Lesotho is a crucial source of water for the parched Gauteng region surrounding Johannesburg, the country’s industrial center.
