Da Gama Dam

Last updated
Da Gama Dam
Official nameDa Gama Dam
Location Mpumalanga, South Africa
Coordinates 25°8′30″S31°1′1″E / 25.14167°S 31.01694°E / -25.14167; 31.01694 Coordinates: 25°8′30″S31°1′1″E / 25.14167°S 31.01694°E / -25.14167; 31.01694
Opening date1971
Operator(s)Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Dam and spillways
Type of dam earth-fill, gravity
Impounds Witwaters River
Height36 m
Length238 m
Reservoir
CreatesDa Gama Dam Reservoir
Total capacity13 578 000 m³
Surface area128.9 ha

Da Gama Dam, is an earthfill/gravity-type dam on the Witwaters River, near White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa. It was established in 1971 and its main purpose is for irrigation. Its hazard potential has been ranked to be high. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

Orange River Major river in southern Africa

The Orange River is a river in Southern Africa. It is the longest river within the borders of South Africa and the Orange River Basin extends extensively from Lesotho into South Africa and Namibia to the north. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. The river forms part of the international borders between South Africa and Lesotho and between South Africa and Namibia, as well as several provincial borders within South Africa. Except for Upington, it does not pass through any major cities. The Orange River plays an important role in the South African economy by providing water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. The river was named the Orange River in honour of the Dutch ruling family, the House of Orange, by the Dutch explorer Robert Jacob Gordon. Other names include simply the word for river, in Khoekhoegowab orthography written as !Garib, which is rendered in Afrikaans as Gariep River with the intrusion of a velar fricative in place of the alveolar click, Groote River or Senqu River, derived from ǂNū "Black".

Vaal River river in South Africa

The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source near Breyten in Mpumalanga province, east of Johannesburg and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Ermelo and only about 240 kilometres (150 mi) from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction with the Orange River southwest of Kimberley in the Northern Cape. It is 1,120 kilometres (700 mi) long, and forms the border between Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West Province on its north bank, and the Free State on its south.

Molopo River river

The Molopo River is one of the main rivers in Southern Africa. It has a length of approximately 960 kilometres and a catchment area of 367,201 km2 with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa sharing roughly about a third of the basin each.

Umgeni River river in KwaZulu-Natal

The Umgeni River or Mgeni River, is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It rises in the "Dargle" in the KZN midlands, and its mouth is at Durban, some distance north of Durban's natural harbour. The name is taken to mean the river of entrance in Zulu, though other meanings have been proposed.

Olifants River (Limpopo) river in South Africa

The Olifants River, Lepelle or Obalule is a river in South Africa and Mozambique, a tributary of the Limpopo River. It falls into the Drainage Area B of the Drainage basins of South Africa. The historical area of the Pedi people, Sekhukhuneland, is located between the Olifants River and one of its largest tributaries, the Steelpoort River.

Gariep Dam Dam in Border of Eastern Cape and Free State, South Africa

Gariep Dam located in South Africa, near the town of Norvalspont, bordering the Free State and Eastern Cape provinces. Its primary purpose is for irrigation, domestic and industrial use as well as for power generation.

Vanderkloof Dam Dam in Between Northern Cape and Free State

The Vanderkloof Dam is situated approximately 130 km (81 mi) downstream from Gariep Dam and is fed by the Orange River, South Africa's largest river. Vanderkloof Dam is the second-largest dam in South Africa, having the highest dam wall in the country at 108 metres (354 ft). The dam was commissioned in 1977; it has a capacity of 3,187.557 million cubic metres (2,584,195 acre⋅ft) and a surface area of 133.43 square kilometres (51.52 sq mi) when full. Other rivers flowing into this dam are the Berg River, two unnamed streams coming in from the direction of Reebokrand, the Knapsak River, Paaiskloofspruit, Seekoei River, Kattegatspruit and the Hondeblaf River, in a clockwise direction.

Pongola River river in South Africa

The Pongola or Phongolo River is a river in South Africa. It is a tributary of the Maputo River. It rises near Utrecht in northern KwaZulu-Natal, flows east through Pongola, is dammed at Pongolapoort, and crosses the Ubombo Mountains; then it flows north towards Mozambique, joining the Maputo River.

Kouga Dam Dam in Patensie, Kouga Local Municipality, Cacadu District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province

The Kouga Dam is an arch dam on the Kouga River about 21 km (13 mi) west of Patensie in Kouga Local Municipality, South Africa. It supplies irrigation water to the Kouga and Gamtoos valleys as well as drinking water to the Port Elizabeth metropolitan area via the Loerie Balancing Dam. It was constructed between 1957 and 1969.

Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) River in South Africa

The Buffalo River is situated in the city of East London on the East Coast of South Africa. It is to the west of the Nahoon River. It is the only navigable river in South Africa. The town of East London was thus established around it.

Blyderivierpoort Dam Dam in Mpumalanga

Blyderivierpoort Dam is a gravity-arch dam on the Blyde River, in the lower Blyde River Canyon, near Hoedspruit in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It also floods the lower reaches of the Blyde's Ohrigstad River tributary. The dam was completed in 1974. The 71 m high dam wall and 22 m deep is situated 3 km from Swadini resort by road.

Inanda Dam Dam in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal

Inanda Dam is an earth-fill type dam located on the Mgeni River, near Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was established in 1989 and its primary purpose is to serve for domestic and industrial use.

Middle Letaba Dam is an earth-fill type dam located on the Middle Letaba River, 40 km east of Elim and 40 km west of Giyani, Limpopo, South Africa. The source of the Middle Letaba river rises high in the tropical mountains of Magoebaskloof near Tzaneen, where rainfall is abundant during the summer months. The river passes numerous villages and its flow becomes quite strong when it reaches the village of Magoro.

Mokolo Dam is a rock-fill type dam located on the Mokolo River, near Lephalale, Limpopo, South Africa. It was established in 1980. The Malmanies River and the Bulspruit River, two tributaries of the Mokolo, also enter the dam from its left side. The dam supplies water to Lephalale town. The dam mainly serves for municipal and industrial purposes and its hazard potentials has been ranked high (3).

Bushmans River river in South Africa

The Bushman's River is an east to north-easterly flowing tributary of the Tugela River, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg Mountain range, with its upper catchment in the Giant's Castle Game Reserve, north of the Giant's Castle promontory. It feeds the Wagendrift Dam and then flows past the town of Estcourt to join the Tugela River near the town of Weenen.

Hazelmere Dam is a combined concrete gravity type dam located on the Mdloti River, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. It was established in 1977 and its primary purpose is to serve for irrigation and domestic use. The hazard potential of the dam assembly has been ranked high (3).

Crocodile River (Limpopo) river, tributary of the Limpopo, in South Africa

The Crocodile River is a river in South Africa. After its confluence with the Marico River, both rivers form the Limpopo River.

Marico River river in Botswana

The Marico River or Madikwe is a river in Southern Africa. There are a number of dams in its basin. Groot Marico town is named after the Marico River. After it is joined on its right bank by the Crocodile River it is known as the Limpopo River.

References

  1. Woodhouse, Philip (December 1995). "Water Rights and Rural Restructuring in South Africa: A Case Study from Eastern Transvaal". International Journal of Water Resources Development. 11 (4): 527–544. doi:10.1080/07900629550042182. ISSN   0790-0627.