Kouga Dam Explained

Location Map:South Africa Eastern Cape
Name Official:Kouga Dam
Dam Crosses:Kouga River
Res Name:Kouga Dam Reservoir
Location:Patensie, Kouga Local Municipality, Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province
Country:South Africa
Coordinates:-33.7406°N 24.5877°W
Operator:Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Dam Length:202m (663feet)
Dam Height:94.5m (310feet)
Dam Type:arch
Dam Volume:268000m2
Construction Began:1957
Opening:1969
Status:O
Purpose:Irrigation
Res Capacity Total:133000000m2
Res Catchment:388700ha
Res Surface:555ha
Plant Name:Kouga Dam Power Station
Plant Commission:Mothballed
Plant Type:Conventional
Plant Turbines:3 x 1.2 MW
Plant Capacity:3.6MW[1]

The Kouga Dam is an arch dam on the Kouga River about 21km (13miles) west of Patensie in Kouga Local Municipality, South Africa. It supplies irrigation water to the Kouga and Gamtoos valleys as well as drinking water to the Port Elizabeth metropolitan area via the Loerie Balancing Dam.[2] It was constructed between 1957 and 1969.[3]

The dam can be accessed by following the R330 and then the R331 from the N2 at Humansdorp. All but the last is tarred road and there is a short tunnel just before the dam wall.

It was named the Paul Sauer Dam after Paul Sauer, but was renamed in 1995.[4]

Kouga Dam Power Station

There are three 1200 kVA hydroelectric turbines at the base of the dam, but they are currently not in use.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kouga Dam. Gamtoos Tourism. 6 January 2010.
  2. Web site: Kouga Dam. inniKloof. 24 January 2015.
  3. Web site: Kouga Dam – serving the fertile Gamtoos valley. The Water Wheel. 24 January 2015.
  4. Web site: FRESH WATER and MARINE RESOURCES . 2008-09-19.