dam
Zimbabwe’s dam construction a slow drip
Zimbabwe is moving full steam ahead with its dam construction programme as the country touts irrigation as the panacea to food security. The only thing that is standing in the way of those ambitions is funding. In March, government announced that it was accelerating the construction of thirteen major[...]
Oudtshoorn: Swaar reëns bring vreugde en chaos
Swaar reëns in die omgewing van Oudtshoorn en vol besproeiingsdamme laat boere breed glimlag. maar oorstromings het tot wydverspreide chaos gelei. Hectic Die Stompdrift- en die Kammanassiedam, wat deel vorm van die Stompdrift-Kammanassie Waterverbruikersvereniging se besproeiingskema, het na swaar reëns in opvanggebiede begin oorloop. Die twee damme verskaf besproeiingswater[...]
Water Wise farmers build earth dams: Part 8- Connecting an earth wall and a weir, the enlargement of a dam and waterholes
In this last article of our series on dam building, we wrap up the last few, but very important points that you should consider when building an earth dam. Connecting an earth wall and a weir at the side or in the centre poses a few technical challenges. Table[...]
Water Wise farmers build earth dams: Part 7 – The core of the dam and construction methods
The core must consist of the densest available material at the site, such as clay. The material must be moist and well compacted or rolled in thin layers of uniform thickness. If the clay is too wet, the wall will be unstable. The different layers must be built up[...]
Water wise farmers build earth dams: Part 5 – Construction factors of a dam wall
by Jan van Heerden, M Eng Tec A dam wall may seem to be a simple construction, but when you are dealing with the incredible force that water exerts, you have to be very careful with your calculations, building procedures and particularly with your building materials. Crest width of[...]