Midmar Dam

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Midmar Dam

Midmar Dam
Official name Midmar Dam
Country South Africa
Location Howick, KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates 29°30′S 30°11′E / 29.500°S 30.183°E / -29.500; 30.183Coordinates: 29°30′S 30°11′E / 29.500°S 30.183°E / -29.500; 30.183
Purpose Municipal and industrial use
Opening date 1965
Owner(s) Department of Water Affairs
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Combination gravity and earth fill dam
Impounds Umgeni River[1]
Length 1,423 metres (4,669 ft)
Height 30 metres (98 ft)
Reservoir
Creates Midmar Dam Reservoir
Total capacity 235,000 megalitres (235 hm3)[2]
Surface area 1,788 hectares (4,420 acres)
Midmar Dam

Midmar Dam is a combined gravity & earth-fill type dam and recreation area located near Howick and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Boating, swimming, waterskiing, picnicing, and fishing are popular pastimes at Midmar Dam. Each year, the Midmar Mile swimming race is held there, which organizers call "the world's largest open water swimming event". Over 20,000 entries were received for the 2009 event. Midmar Dam is located in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. The dam's primary purpose is to serve for municipal and industrial use and its hazard potential has been ranked high (3).

Morgenzon has camping and caravanning sites, both powered and non-powered, and Eikedal and Blackhurst Peninsula (start of the Midmar Mile) are both stunning picnic areas. The dam also hosts a yacht club, and lock up storage facilities for boats.

No matter what time of year one visits the dam, it is essential to have clothing/gear for both hot and cold weather - the weather changes are rapid, and do not always correspond with the weather in the surrounding area.

Midmar Dam is easily accessible from the N3 motorway.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Quantification of factors affecting coagulation of water with cationic polymers and laboratory methods for determining these effects.". Foundation for Water Research. January 2004. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
  2. ↑ "uMgungundlovu IDP - Phase one: part 3 - Analysis Report". KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 


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