What is a Dam?
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability.
How Many Dams In South Africa?
We have more than 500 government dams in South Africa, with a total capacity of 37 000 million cubic meters (m3) – that’s the same as about 15 million Olympic-sized swimming pools!
There are different types of dams: Arch dam: The curved shape of these dams holds back the water in the reservoir.
What is the largest dam in South Africa?
Initially called the Ruigte Valley Dam, it was later named after Hendrik Verwoerd and then renamed the Gariep Dam in 1996, using the original Khoi name for the river. Work on its graceful double convex arch began in 1966. The wall is 88m high and 914m long.
What is the most famous dam in South Africa?
The Gariep Dam
The Gariep Dam, in the Free State, is the dam with the largest storage capacity ever built in South Africa. Constructed in 1972, it stores water from the Orange River in a 100 km-long dam with a surface area of 374 km2.
What is the oldest dam in South Africa?
The oldest dam is the Upper Mpate built near Dundee in 1880. It is an earthfill embankment with a height of 18m and crest length of 293m.
The total storage capacity of the 1 086 dams is 31 619 million m3 which is about 65% of the mean annual runoff of South Africa of 49 000 million m3.