Name of the Project
Clanwilliam dam and irrigation scheme upgrade project.

Location
On the Olifants river, in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
The stakeholders include the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the Lower Olifants River Water User Association; the Cederberg, Matzikama and West Coast municipalities; the Western Cape provincial government; the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral); and power utility Eskom.

Project Description
This is the second-biggest infrastructure project being undertaken in the Western Cape and is part of the Olifants River Water Resources Project. 

The Clanwilliam dam was built in 1935 and was raised to its current level, with a storage capacity of 128-million cubic metres, in the 1960s.

A feasibility study completed on the project in October 2007 found that raising the wall by 13 m is technically feasible and economically viable. The study also found that the dam needs to be strengthened.

The proposed project will improve the safety of the dam and increase the yearly yield of the dam by 69.5-million cubic metres, of which a portion will be used to assist with the development of resource-poor farmers.

The project will include:

• remedial works to the dam’s foundations;
• the raising and realigning of portions of Old Cape road;
• raising the Algeria road crossing over the Olifants river;
• protecting the N7 towards Citrusdal;
• maintenance of farm roads and residences along Renbaan road;
• upgrading and expanding the conveyance network downstream of Bulshoek dam; and
• other affected infrastructure, including a hydropower plant.

Potential Job Creation
The project has the potential to create about 3 800 permanent jobs.

Capital Expenditure
R6-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
The project is expected to be completed by May 2029.

Latest Developments
The DWS has reported that the overall progress of the raising of the dam wall is at 26%.

The current focus is on the intake coffer wall. 

Water has recently been released from the Clanwilliam dam to lower the levels from 95% to 75%, after heavy rains that affected construction work on site. The decision was necessary to allow for the construction of the coffer wall, which supports the erection of the 56-m-high intake tower situated upstream of the dam wall. The intake tower is a critical component of the project and is situated on its critical path. Its construction involves 18 months of excavation work, followed by 20 months of tower construction, totalling 38 months.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Department of Water and Sanitation director media liaison Wisane Mavasa, tel +27 12 336 8264 or email mavasaw@dws.gov.za.