Berg River stops for 3 hours
2005-12-01
THE Berg River stopped flowing for about three hours last week, when it was diverted from its age old flow to a new channel under the wall of the Berg River Dam being constructed near Franschhoek.
The flow stopped after the the river was blocked to divert the water via a conduit blasted through the rock bed of the valley.
The construction of the wall can now be completed across the area where the river once flowed.
The diversion will not affect the flow of the river, and once completed, water will be let out into the river to mimic the natural course of nature.
This spectacular construction site is currently the biggest water infrastructure project in South Africa.
Eventually it will boast the highest concrete-faced rock-fill dam in the country, with a storage capacity of 130 million cubic metres.
At completion the wall will be 62m high and nearly one kilometre long.
According to Siobhan McCarthy, spokesperson for the developers TCTA, they are committed to maintaining the Berg River eco-system. The river’s water quality is monitored on a regular basis, from the dam to the mouth at Velddrif. This will be maintained long after the completion of the dam.
A supplement scheme will be situated near the Drakenstein prison, which will collect floodwater to be pumped back to the dam.
When the Berg River Dam is due to overflow, the water can also be pumped back to the Theewater’s Kloof Dam.
This will not only contribute to water recycling, but will also minimise flood risks.
The local community has benefitted extremely well from this water project, with 600 jobs having been created for local labourers.
Two local companies have also been used to build 40 of the homes at La Motte forestry station, where the maintenance workers of the dam will be housed.
The Berg River Dam will be completed in 2007 and should be filled within one good season of winter rain.
More
News
|
