Impofu Dam

Last updated

Impofu Dam
Official nameImpofu Dam
Country South Africa
Location Humansdorp, Eastern Cape
Coordinates 34°5′45″S24°41′1″E / 34.09583°S 24.68361°E / -34.09583; 24.68361
PurposeIndustrial and domestic
Opening date1983
Owner(s) Department of Water Affairs
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Earth fill dam
Impounds Kromme River
Height75 m
Length793 m
Reservoir
CreatesImpofu Dam Reservoir
Total capacity106 885 000 m³
Surface area570 ha

Impofu Dam is a combined rock-fill/earth-fill type dam located on the Kromme River, near Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1983 and its primary purpose is to serve for municipal and industrial use. The hazard potential of the dam construction has been ranked high (3).

Contents

Location

The dam, along with the Elandsjagt water purification plant, lies just downriver from Kromme Dam. Both N2 and R102 roads cross the western portion of the dam. The road to the dam wall itself is not well-suited to passenger traffic.

History

The dam was built from 1972 to 1982. In July 1983, the dam beat all expectations by filling within three days.

Dimensions

The reservoir is long, narrow, and deep, with several bays. The maximum capacity 107 million m³ and the water is 6 km2, 25 km long, and 65 km in circumference. The wall is 75 m high and 800 m long.

Use

A primary source of drinking water for Port Elizabeth, the dam also prevents flood waters from engulfing farms and houses around the banks and mouth of the river. The reservoir is popular with anglers as well given the 5 fish species found there. A slipway is available for boaters.

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladybower Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Derbyshire, England

Ladybower Reservoir is a large Y-shaped, artificial reservoir, the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England. The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west; the River Derwent flows south, initially through Howden Reservoir, then Derwent Reservoir, and finally through Ladybower Reservoir. The reservoir is owned by Severn Trent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesotho Highlands Water Project</span> Water Supply and hydropower project by South Africa and Lesotho

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is an ongoing water supply project with a hydropower component, developed in partnership between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa. It comprises a system of several large dams and tunnels throughout Lesotho and delivers water to the Vaal River System in South Africa. In Lesotho, it involves the rivers Malibamatso, Matsoku, Senqunyane, and Senqu. It is Africa's largest water transfer scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gariep Dam</span> Dam in Border of Eastern Cape and Free State, South Africa

The Gariep Dam is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nepean Dam</span> Dam in Bargo, New South Wales

The Nepean Dam is a heritage-listed dam split across Avon in the Wingecarribee Shire and Bargo in the Wollondilly Shire, both in New South Wales, Australia. The reservoir created by the dam spreads across Avon, Bargo and also Yerrinbool in Wingecarribee Shire. The Nepean Dam is one of four dams and weirs in the catchment of the Upper Nepean Scheme, in New South Wales, Australia, and provides water to the Macarthur and Illawarra regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney. Completed in 1935 under the supervision of Ernest Macartney de Burgh, the dam is currently managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry Lake (Kansas)</span> Reservoir in Jefferson County, Kansas

Perry Lake is a US Army Corps of Engineers operated reservoir in northeast Kansas. Its primary purposes are flood control, water reserve for nearby areas and regional recreation. The lake is approximately 11,150 acres (45 km²) in size, with over 160 miles (260 km) of shoreline. Perry Lake's full multi-purpose pool elevation is 891.5 feet (271.7 m) above sea level. Perry Lake is located about 40 miles (64 km) west of Kansas City, just northwest of Lawrence, Kansas. Its close proximity to Kansas City, Lawrence, and the state capitol, Topeka, make it a very popular destination, with the nickname "Paradise on the Plains".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Redmond Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Coffey County, Kansas

John Redmond Reservoir is a reservoir on the Neosho River in eastern Kansas. Built and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is used for flood control, recreation, water supply, and wildlife management. It borders the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest.

The Söse Dam is a dam in the Lower Saxon part of the Harz mountains near Osterode in the German state of Lower Saxony.

Fish to Tsitsikama WMA, or Fish to Tsitsikama Water Management Area , in South Africa Includes the following major rivers: the Fish River, Kowie River, Boesmans River, Sundays River, Gamtoos River, Kromme River, Tsitsikamma River and Groot River, and covers the following Dams:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blyderivierpoort Dam</span> 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.

Boegoeberg Dam is a gravity type dam on the Orange River, near Prieska, Northern Cape, South Africa. Building was started in 1926 and completed by 1933. Boegoeberg is named for the small tree Croton gratissimus, also known as Bergboegoe. Its primary purpose is for irrigation and it has a low hazard potential.

Boskop Dam is an earth-fill type dam on the Mooi River, near Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa. It was constructed in 1959. The main purpose of the dam is for irrigation and domestic usage. Its hazard potential is ranked as high, due to poor maintenance and the development of sink holes.

Kromme Dam, is a multi-arch type dam located at the Kromme River, near Kareedouw, Eastern Cape, in South Africa. It was established in 1943 and its main purpose is for municipal and industrial usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darlington Dam</span> Dam in Eastern Cape

Darlington Dam, also referred to as Lake Mentz. is a gravity type dam situated in the Sundays River, near Kirkwood, in Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was completed in 1922 and only filled by 1928, the delay a result of extensive drought.

Grootdraai Dam is a combined gravity and earth-fill type dam located on the Vaal River, near Standerton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. It was established in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theewaterskloof Dam</span> Dam in Western Cape, South Africa

Theewaterskloof Dam is an earth-fill type dam located on the Sonderend River near Villiersdorp, Western Cape, South Africa. Administratively it is located within Theewaterskloof Local Municipality. It was established in 1978 and is the largest dam in the Western Cape Water Supply System with a capacity of 480 million cubic metres, about 41% of the water storage capacity available to Cape Town, which has a population of over 4 million people. The dam mainly serves for municipal and industrial use as well as for irrigation purposes. The hazard potential of the dam has been ranked high (3).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voëlvlei Dam</span> Dam in the Western Cape, South Africa

Voëlvlei Dam is a dam located in the Western Cape, South Africa near the town of Gouda. The earth-fill wall is 2,910 metres (9,550 ft) long and 10 metres (33 ft) high. The reservoir covers an area of 1,524 hectares and has a capacity of 168,000 megalitres, making it the second-largest reservoir in the Western Cape Water Supply System. Water from the reservoir is supplied to water treatment works of the City of Cape Town and the West Coast District Municipality, and can also be released into the Berg River for agricultural purposes or to fill the Misverstand Dam.

Welbedacht Dam is a concrete-gravity type dam situated in South Africa, and was established in 1973. Bloemfontein is the sixth-largest city in South Africa, with a population around 300 000. It is situated in the Modder River catchment, which has insufficient water resources to meet the growing water requirements. The water supply to Bloemfontein is, therefore, augmented from the adjacent Caledon River by means of the Caledon - Modder River Government Water Scheme (CMRGWS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eerste River</span> River in the Western Cape, South Africa

The Eerste River, located in the Western Cape, South Africa, rises on Dwarsberg 60 km east of Cape Town at the head of Jonkershoek valley. The Eerste River catchment covers the eastern part of the Cape Flats lying to the west of the Hottentots Holland Mountains and south of the Tygerberg where the Kuils River tributary rises east of Kanonkop. The Eerste River is a short river; its length has been given as 40 km. The major tributary, Kuils River, is approximately 30 km long to its point of confluence with the Eerste River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saville Dam</span> Dam in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, United States

Saville Dam is an earthen embankment dam with masonry work on the eastern branch of the Farmington River in southwestern Barkhamsted, Connecticut and central Hartland, Connecticut, dividing the latter into two villages along its hilltops, East and West Hartland. The dam is 135 ft. tall and 1,950 ft. long and has an uncontrolled spillway on its western portion. It creates the Barkhamsted Reservoir which has a volume of 36.8 billion US gallons (139,000,000 m3) and is the primary water source for Hartford, Connecticut. Connecticut Route 318, also known as Saville Dam Road, crosses over the top of the dam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urft Dam</span> Dam in Kreis Euskirchen

The Urft Dam is a 58.50 metre high dam in the southwestern part of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It was built in 1905. The dam impounds the River Urft in the district of Euskirchen to create the Urft Reservoir (Urftstausee), 2.16 km² in area. The reservoir is also called the Urftsee.

References