The raising of the Tzaneen dam wall will now be completed in March 2026, a year later than the initial completion date of March this year.

Part of the Letaba river water augmentation project, the Tzaneen dam wall project entails raising the dam wall by three metres. It is now 46% complete.

Raising the dam wall will increase the dam’s storage capacity by 35.7-million cubic metres (m3), from 157.3-million m3 to 193-million m3, to meet growing water demand and improve water security in Limpopo.

The additional supply of water will assist households, as well as the agricultural and industrial sectors.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has made strides since the beginning of the project in 2023, even though there were some unforeseen incidents that hampered progress to complete it within the stipulated timeline,” says the DWS water resource infrastructure development unit’s Anthony Bhasopo.

The Tzaneen dam, originally completed in 1977, features a mass concrete gravity spillway flanked by earthfill embankments.

The existing ogee-type spillway is 91.44 m long and has a crest level of 723.9 m above sea level.

The non-overspill crest measures 1 063.5 m, with a crest level of 730.6 m above sea level. The embankments are protected by interlocking concrete blocks on both upstream and downstream faces.

The upgrade includes replacing the current ogee spillway with a more efficient labyrinth spillway.

According to the DWS, activities undertaken to date include the demolition of the upper section of the existing ogee spillway; the construction of a new labyrinth spillway to increase discharge capacity, which is 11% complete; the strengthening of the earthfill embankments for improved dam stability, which is 36% complete; the realignment of the permanent access road downstream of the dam, which is 20% complete; and additional supporting and safety-related works.

Temporary fencing has been installed around the site, along with a temporary access road from Deerpark and a river diversion pipeline.