Vanderkloof Dam

Vanderkloof Dam
Vanderkloof Dam
	An aerial view of Vanderkloof Dam.
	Location of Vanderkloof Dam in Northern Cape Vanderkloof Dam (South Africa)
Official name	Vanderkloof Dam
Country	South Africa
Location	Between Northern Cape and Free State
Coordinates	29°59′32″S 24°43′54″E / 29.99222°S 24.73167°E
Construction began	1973
Opening date	1977
Owner(s)	Department of Water Affairs
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Arch dam
Impounds	Orange River
Height	108 m (354 ft)
Length	756 m (2,480 ft)
Reservoir
Creates	Vanderkloof Dam Reservoir
Total capacity	3,236 million cubic metres (114.3×109 cu ft)
Surface area	133.402 km2 (51.507 sq mi)
Power Station
Operator(s)	Eskom
Turbines	2
Installed capacity	240 MW (320,000 hp); 360 MW (480,000 hp) (max)
Annual generation	932 GWh (3,360 TJ)

The Vanderkloof Dam (originally the P. K. Le Roux Dam) is situated approximately 130 km (81 mi) downstream from Gariep Dam and is fed by the Orange River, South Africa's largest river. Vanderkloof Dam is the second-largest dam in South Africa (in volume), having the highest dam wall in the country at 108 metres (354 ft). The dam was commissioned in 1977; it has a capacity of 3,187.557 million cubic metres (2,584,195 acre⋅ft) and a surface area of 133.43 square kilometres (51.52 sq mi) when full. Other rivers flowing into this dam are the Berg River, two unnamed streams coming in from the direction of Reebokrand, the Knapsak River, Paaiskloofspruit, Seekoei River, Kattegatspruit and the Hondeblaf River, in a clockwise direction.

The Town of VanderKloof has been established on the left bank of the dam, with the main town road entrance just up the way from the dam wall, with holiday resorts and parks, such as Rolfontein Nature Reserve (Photos Wiki Commons)