Module 1: Technical Feasibility Study

Introduction

The Crocodile East Water Project: Module 1: Technical Feasibility Study is exploring options for additional storage in the Crocodile (East) River Catchment in Mpumalanga. The water of the Crocodile (East) River Catchment in Mpumalanga has been fully allocated, yet the water requirements, especially domestic water requirements, continue to grow. The system is under stress, and it cannot fully meet the environmental water requirements as well as the reliability / assurance of supply for both the agricultural and municipal water uses. The situation will worsen in the short term if water conservation and water demand management (WC/WDM) measures are not fully implemented. In the medium to long term, WC/WDM measures will not be sufficient to provide for the increase in domestic water requirement. The yield of the water resource will have to be increased by means of additional storage.

Motivation for Study

Both public and commercial sectors have requested development of additional yield through storage within the Crocodile (East) River Catchment. Due to the long lead-time required in developing new dams, the construction of an additional dam in the Crocodile River Catchment has to be investigated without delay. Taking cognisance of the above-mentioned and based on previous studies and investigations carried out in the past, the following four proposed dams within the Crocodile (East) River Catchment were recommended for further study as part of this Study (CEWP: Module 1: Technical Feasibility Study):

• Mountain View Dam on the Kaap River
• Montrose Dam on the Crocodile East River
• Boschjeskop Dam on the Nels River
• Strathmore Off-Channel Storage Dam, near the confluence of the Kaap and Crocodile Rivers