Vanderkloof Dam

Vanderkloof Dam
View over the Vanderkloof Dam[1]
Official name	Vanderkloof Dam
Country	South Africa
Location	Between Northern Cape and Free State
Coordinates	29°59′32″S 24°43′54″E / 29.99222°S 24.73167°E / -29.99222; 24.73167
Construction began	1973
Opening date	1977
Owner(s)	Department of Water Affairs
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Arch dam
Impounds	Orange River
Length	756 metres (2,480 ft)[2]
Height	108 metres (354 ft)[3]
Reservoir
Creates	Vanderkloof Dam Reservoir
Total capacity	3,236,000,000 cubic metres (1.143×1011 cu ft)[2]
Surface area	133.402 square kilometres (51.507 sq mi)
Power station
Operator(s)	Eskom
Turbines	2
Installed capacity	240 Megawatt
Annual generation	932 GWh[4]
Vanderkloof Dam

The Vanderkloof Dam (originally the P.K. Le Roux 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 (in volume), having the highest dam wall in the country at 108 metres (354 ft). The dam was commissioned in 1977; it has a capacity of 3,187,557,000 cubic metres (1.125675×10¹¹ cu 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.

See also

• Orange River
• List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
• List of rivers of South Africa

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vanderkloof Dam.

• Vanderkloof Dam