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Most of the dams in the Eastern Cape (>400) were constructed between 1957 and 1997. Since 1997, 40 dams were constructed with a capacity of 8 million m3.
- Beervlei Dam
- Bridledrift Dam
- Kouga Dam
- Nqweba Dam (Van Rynevelds Pass Dam)
- Xonxa Dam
- Download factsheet: Eastern Cape Dams
Beervlei Dam
The main purpose of the dam is to provide absorption. The Karoo sediments in the area contain a lot of salts and it has been found that lengthy storage of water results in high water salinity.
| Constructed | Capacity (mil.cub.m) | Wall Type | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 86 | Multi-Arch | Groot River/ Kouga/ Gamtoos |
Notes: The reservoir of the Beervlei Dam needs to be empty at the start of the flood in order to store as much of the flood water as possible. The Karoo sediments in the area contain a lot of salts and it has been found that lengthy storage of water results in high water salinity. The mode of operation is that any floodwater is used as quickly as possible by the downstream irrigators and the reservoir is thus kept empty for flood absorption purposes. A similar flood attenuation dam has been built upstream of the town of Ladysmith (KwaZulu-Natal) and this dam has a large uncontrolled outlet in its base to ensure emptying after a flood. You will see from this explanation that the Beervlei Dam has not been decommissioned as mentioned by Mr Marachel, but is alive and well in its empty state! I have received many queries from members of the public as to why the Beervlei Dam is always empty.
Bridledrift Dam
| Constructed | Capacity (mil.cub.m) | Wall Type | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 98 | Rockfill | Buffalo River |
Kouga Dam
| Constructed | Capacity (mil.cub.m) | Wall Type | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 129 | Concrete Arch | Kouga River |
Nqweba Dam
Previously known as the Van Rynevelds Pass dam
| Constructed | Capacity (mil.cub.m) | Wall Type | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 46.4 | Mass concrete gravity section overspill type | Pienaars River / Sundays River |
Notes: For more than 80 years, the Nqweba Dam (formerly known as Van Ryneveld’s Pass Dam) has been the main water supply to Graaff-Reinet, in the Eastern Cape.
Xonxa Dam
| Constructed | Capacity (mil.cub.m) | Wall Type | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 116 | Composite zoned earthfill/rock | White Kei River |