Hardap Dam | |
---|---|
Official name | Hardap Dam |
Country | Namibia |
Location | 260 km (160 mi) south of Windhoek |
Coordinates | 24°29′58″S17°51′31″E / 24.49944°S 17.85861°E |
Construction began | 1960 |
Opening date | 1963 |
Dam and spillways | |
Impounds | Fish River |
Reservoir | |
Total capacity | 320 million cubic metres (420,000,000 cu yd) |
Surface area | 25 km2 (2,500 ha) |
The Hardap Dam is a dam close to Mariental in the Hardap Region of central Namibia. Built in 1963 while Namibia was under South African occupation, the Hardap Dam has been the largest dam in the country for more than five decades. After its completion in 2018, the Neckertal Dam near Keetmanshoop has at least 3 times the capacity of the Hardap Dam. The Hardap reservoir dams the Fish River and is home to numerous examples of wildlife of Namibia.
First envisaged in 1897, Hardap Dam has a capacity of 320 million cubic metres (420,000,000 cu yd) and a surface area of 25 km2 (2,500 ha). Construction began in 1960 and was completed in 1963. [1]
The Hardap Dam supplies Mariental and the surrounding settlements with potable water. Its location close to the city, however, also poses a danger of flooding when sluices have to be opened fully due to good rains in the Fish River's catchment area. Reed grasses growing in the riverbed of the Fish River, slow down the flow of water and further aggravate the danger of flooding. [2]
Before the dam was built, Mariental was flooded in 1923 and 1934. Floods after the commissioning of the dam occurred in 1972, 1974, 1976, 2000, and 2006. Since then, the dam's water level is kept at a maximum of 70% of its capacity to prevent both an overflow and an uncontrolled outflow through fully opened sluices. [2]
The name Hardap derives from the Nama word meaning "nipple" or "wart", [3] which is how the surrounding area of low conical-shaped hills appeared to the early inhabitants. There are fishing spots at various points along the northern shore of the lake. Permits, and a map of permitted fishing areas, are available from the resort office, or from the magistrate's office in Mariental.
The area is home to the black rhino, [1] gemsbok, Hartmann's zebra, kudu, ostrich, springbok and steenbok. [4] There is also a large variety of bird species to be observed in and around the dam. Great White Pelican, [1] cormorant, darter and spoonbill can be seen on the dam itself, as well as fish eagle and a small number of osprey.
The vegetation in the area is classified as dwarf shrub savanna. The following trees occur: camel thorn, wild green-hair tree and buffalo thorn. [5]
After a four-year period of renovation [4] the dam's recreational sites have been reopened in 2016. Activities at the dam include swimming, fishing, and bird watching. There is a restaurant and a shop. [1]
Reelfoot Lake State Park is a state park in the northwest corner of Tennessee in the United States. It encompasses Reelfoot Lake and is situated in Lake and Obion counties. The park itself makes up 280 acres (1.1 km2), divided into ten sections around the lake. A major hunting and fishing preserve, it is part of a much larger wildlife refuge which comprises 25,000 acres (100 km2), 15,000 acres (61 km2) of which are water, and harbors almost every kind of shorebird, as well as the golden and American bald eagles. Other animals are also diverse and abundant. The many species of flowering and non-flowering plants attract botany enthusiasts from all over the country. Bald cypress dominates the margins of the lake, but many other trees and shrubs are also present.
Lake Norman is a man-made fresh water lake in southwest North Carolina. The largest lake in the state, it was created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy. Located in Iredell County, 15 miles north of Charlotte, Lake Norman State Park boasts the region's popular mountain biking trail system.
Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County, California, United States. This reservoir in the Vaca Mountains was formed following the construction of the Monticello Dam on Putah Creek in the 1950s. Since the early 1960s, this reservoir has provided water and hydroelectricity to the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mariental is a town of 10,000 inhabitants in south-central Namibia, lying on the B1 national road 232 kilometres (144 mi) north of Keetmanshoop and 274 kilometres (170 mi) southeast of Windhoek. It lies at an elevation of 1,090 metres (3,580 ft). Mariental is connected to the TransNamib railway line from Windhoek to Keetmanshoop. The town and the surrounding area are situated in a hot, arid region.
Trinity Lake, previously called Clair Engle Lake, is a reservoir on the Trinity River formed by the Trinity Dam and located in Trinity County, California, United States. The dam was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The lake's capacity is 2,447,650 acre⋅ft (3,019.13 GL), making it one of the largest reservoirs in California. The lake's surface is at 2,370 ft (720 m) above MSL. Trinity Lake captures and stores water for the Central Valley Project, which provides the Central Valley with water for irrigation and produces hydroelectric power. This lake is known for its many small arms, glassy inlets, and good water-skiing conditions.
Wilson Lake is a reservoir in the U.S. state of Kansas, on the border of Russell County and Lincoln County. Built and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, it is also used for wildlife management and recreation. Several parks are located along its shoreline, including Wilson State Park.
The North Pine Dam is a mass concrete gravity dam with earth-fill embankments on abutments with a gated spillway across the North Pine River that is located in the South East region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for supply of potable water for the Moreton Bay region and Brisbane's northern suburbs. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Samsonvale.
Maharana Pratap Sagar, also known as Pong Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake is a large reservoir in Fatehpur, Jawali and Dehra tehsil of Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. It was created in 1975, by building the highest earthfill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of the Siwalik Hills. Named in the honour of Maharana Pratap (1540–1597), the reservoir or the lake is a well-known wildlife sanctuary and one of the 49 international wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention. The reservoir covers an area of 24,529 hectares, and the wetlands portion is 15,662 hectares.
Pel's fishing owl is a large species of owl in the family Strigidae, found in Africa. It lives near rivers and lakes, and feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. The species prefers slow-moving rivers with large, overhanging trees to roost in and forage from. It nests in hollows and the forks of large trees. Though as many as two eggs are laid, often only one chick is raised.
The Harlan County Reservoir includes a dam and a reservoir of 13,250 acres (54 km2) located in Harlan County in south-central Nebraska. Its southernmost part extends into northern Phillips County, Kansas. The reservoir is formed by a dam constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Republican River, which starts in Colorado and ends in Kansas.
The Von Bach Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Swakop River near Okahandja in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. Built in 1968 and commissioned in 1970, the dam provides Namibia's capital of Windhoek with much of the city's water. It also supplies Okahandja. The dam has a capacity of 48.56 million cubic metres (63,510,000 cu yd). Water from the reservoir is sent directly to a water treatment plant downstream. The treatment plant was completed in 1971 and upgraded in 1997.
Swakoppoort Dam is a dam 50 kilometres (31 mi) outside of Okahandja, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia. It dams the Swakop River and occasionally receives inflow from the Omatako Dam on Swakop's tributary Omatako. Its capacity is 63.489 million cubic metres (83,040,000 cu yd). Completed in 1978, it is one of three dams to supply water to the capital Windhoek. It also supplies the Navachab mine and the town of Karibib.
Camanche Reservoir is an artificial lake in the San Joaquin Valley in California in the United States, at the juncture of Amador, Calaveras, and San Joaquin counties. Its waters are impounded by Camanche Dam, which was completed in 1963. Camanche Reservoir is a source of water for industrial and municipal purposes and also provides flood control.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife sanctuary encompassing the majority of Plum Island in northeastern Essex County, Massachusetts, 5 miles southeast of Newburyport. It was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitats for migratory birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge is of vital stopover significance to waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds during migratory periods.
Klerkskraal Dam is a combined gravity and arch type dam located on the Mooi River, near Ventersdorp, North West, South Africa. It was established in 1969 and its main purpose is to serve for irrigation. The hazard potential of the dam has been ranked high (3). The dam is also a well known bass fishing destination in the region.
Kirwin Reservoir is a reservoir in Phillips County, Kansas, United States. It is located next to the city of Kirwin in northern Kansas. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built it and continues to operate it for the purposes of flood control and area irrigation. The Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge lies on its shores.
The protected areas of Namibia include its national parks and reserves. With the 2010 declaration of Dorob National Park, Namibia became the first and only country to have its entire coastline protected through a national parks network. Protected areas are subdivided into game reserves and/or nature reserves, such as special protected area, wilderness areas, natural areas, and development areas. There are also recreation reserves. Facilities in the national parks are operated by Namibia Wildlife Resorts. Over 19% of Namibia is protected, an area of some 130,000 square kilometres. However, the Ministry of Environment & Tourism auctions limited hunting rights within its protected areas. The Namibia Nature Foundation, an NGO, was established in 1987 to raise and administer funds for the conservation of wildlife and protected area management. Communal Wildlife Conservancies in Namibia help promote sustainable natural resource management by giving local communities rights to wildlife management and tourism.
Omatako Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Okahandja in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is named after the Omatako Mountains, and it dams the ephemeral Omatako River, with Omatako meaning "butt" in Oshiwambo, the name referring to the shape of the Omatako Mountains. The dam has a capacity of 43.49 million cubic metres (56,880,000 cu yd).
The Hardap Recreation Resort is a National Park located in southern Namibia. It was proclaimed in 1968 and measures 252 square kilometres (97 sq mi). Hardap is situated in Hardap Region, about 250 kilometres (160 mi) south of Windhoek and about 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Mariental. It surrounds the Hardap Dam, Namibia's largest dam, which lies on the Fish River. There is a game park on the southern side of the dam.
Backus Creek State Game Area is a state game area within Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It incorporates 4,379 acres (17.72 km2) of hunting, recreational, and protected wildlife and wetland areas of rural Backus Township and Higgins Township. Backus Creek State Game Area is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).