A licence to enable the construction work to extend Tzaneen Dam wall as a dam with safety risk, has been issued, the Department of Water and Sanitation announced on Monday.

The department said the project is aimed at augmenting the water supply in the Greater Letaba River Catchment of the Limpopo Province, by raising the dam wall by three meters, to increase the yield of the dam to address water shortages.

“This will then result in an increase in the gross storage capacity from 157 million m3 (cubic meter) to 195 million m3. This project is set to largely benefit the agricultural sector, as it will make water available for the establishment of resource-poor farmers in the irrigated agriculture sector around the area,” the department said in a statement.

The Tzaneen Dam spillway was partially demolished in 2016 to allow the new spillway configuration in the form of a labyrinth type to be constructed.

The scope of the work includes the demolition of the top of the existing spillway, the construction of a labyrinth spillway and other minor works.

The department said the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has been appointed as the implementing agent, and the construction of the wall is expected to commence in March 2023 and be completed in March 2025.

To date, the department said, the demolition of the original spillway has been completed, and this accounts for 10% project progress.

“Upon construction completion, Tzaneen Dam will be a 53,3 m high Category III dam. A Category III dam classification is the highest hazard rating by the Dam Safety Office, considering the size and the potential for loss of life in the unlikely event of a catastrophic failure of the dam,” the department highlighted.

Source: South African Government News Agency