Construction to raise the wall of the Tzaneen dam in South Africa’s northern-most province of Limpopo by 3 m is set to start, following the issuing of the safety licence on February 10, it has been announced.
The construction will start in March, with an estimated project completion date of March 2025, when the dam will become a 53.3-m-high Category III dam.
A Category III dam classification is the highest hazard rating by the Dam Safety Office, considering the size and the potential for loss of life in the unlikely event of a catastrophic failure of the dam, the Department of Water and Sanitation notes.
The raising of the wall of the Tzaneen dam, which is considered a safety risk dam, will result in an increase in the gross storage capacity of the dam from 157-million m3 to 195-million m3.
The project aims to augment the water supply in Limpopo’s Greater Letaba river catchment and increase the yield of the dam to address water shortages, largely benefiting the agriculture sector, as it will make water available for the establishment of resource-poor farmers in the irrigated agriculture sector around the area.
The Tzaneen dam spillway was partially demolished in 2016 to allow the new spillway configuration in the form of a labyrinth type to be constructed.
Scope of WorkThe scope of the work includes the demolition of the top of the existing spillway, the construction of a labyrinth spillway and other minor works.
To date, demolition of the original spillway has been completed, and this accounts for 10% project progress.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa has been appointed as the implementing agent.