Water For a Thirsty Land – The Story of the Orange River Project

CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION 12 The Power Station 93
2 THE NATURE OF THE ORANGE Floods 95
RIVER AND ITS BASIN 14 Completion 95
Sources and Names 14 9 VANDERKLOOF DAM 99
Geology and Valley Shape 16 Reviewing the Options 99
Geology of Fish River Basin 16 Dam and Outlet Design. 101
The Sundays River Basin 19 Construction 103
3 EARLY ACTIVITY 20 Electricity Generation 104
The Willcocks Report 22 Irrigation from the Dam 104
4 FIRST STIRRINGS 31 The Orange – Riet Canal 105
The Problems of the Great Fish River 32 Water Supply to Kimberley 108
The Orange-Fish Diversion Concept 33 Dam surrounds 108
The Department Organisation 38 10 The Orange – Riet Canal
5 THE SCHEME TAKES FISH TUNNEL 111
SHAPE 42 The Orange -Fish Project Becomes
Background 42 a Reality 111
Announcement of Project 43 Preliminaries 112
Organisation of the Project 44 Geology 114
6 THE ART OF DAM DESIGN 52 Infrastructure 116
Why Build a Dam? 52 Tunnel design 117
Preliminary Considerations 52 Construction 121
Hydrology 54 Tunnel Excavation Methodologies 122
Spillway Design 55 Inlet Section 123
Dam Design 57 Disaster! 125
7 DESIGN OF GARIEP DAM 60 Plateau Section 127
Initial Dam and Spillway Designs 60 Outlet Section 129
The Design Stage 61 Steynsburg Supply 131
Deciding the Shape of the Wall 65 Spares Supply 131
Design of the Spillways 66 Cost Problems 132
Sedimentation 68 Routine Maintenance 133
Further Meetings 69 11 LIFE ON CONSTRUCTION 134
Structural Models 70 Shelly Blyth’s Story 134
Electricity Generation 70 The Farmer’s Wife 138
8 CONSTRUCTION OF THE An Engineer on site – Alastair Morgan 139
GARIEP DAM 72 Divine Protection 145
Essential Requirements for In the Dark 145
Building an Arch Dam 72 Chasing Rhinos 146
Preliminary Works 74 Veronica Boniface’s Story 147
The Tender Process 77 12 IRRIGATION IN THE
The Heavy Construction 78 FISH RIVER VALLEY 150
Mechanical Contracts 88 The Little Fish River Valley 154
The Valleys Post Orange River Project 155
13 THE DIVERSION TO THE Appendix 1.
SUNDAYS RIVER 164 HYDROLOGICAL STUDIES 206
The Lower Sundays Irrigation Scheme 164 Introduction 206
The Wapadsberg Scheme 165 Design Flood Routing 213
Diversion Under the Bosberg 165 Appendix 2.
The Cookhouse Tunnel 166 THE FLOODING OF THE
The Canal System 171 TUNNELS AT SHAFT 2 217
De Mistkraal Weir 172 A million gallons an hour 217
The Darlington Dam 173 Background 217
Korhaansdrift Weir 175 What to do? 218
Farming in the Lower Sundays River 175 Appendix 3.
14 ANCILLARY WORKS 178 THE METHANE FIRE AND
The Construction Towns 178 RECTIFICATION WORKS IN
Port Elizabeth Water Supply 179 THE TUNNEL DRIVE SOUTH
Makhanda Water Supply 181 OF SHAFT 4 226
Welbedacht Dam 181 23 October 1971 226
Bethulie Bridge 182 Constructing the Bulkhead, Stabilizing
Douglas Irrigation District 183 the Hanging, and Sealing Off the
Kakamas Scheme 183 Methane 231
15 AFTERMATH, SPIN-OFFS A Tragic Sequel – September 1975 233
AND ASSESSMENT 185 Appendix 4 –
Post Construction Developments 185 DETAILS OF THE UNDERGROUND
Assessments, Benefits and Successes 186 CONTROL WORKS 234
16 ORANGE RIVER Appendix 5 –
PERSONALITIES 190 CRANES, CABLEWAYS
Robert Jacob Gordon (1743-1795) 190 AND HOISTS 238
John Gamble (1842-1889) 190 GLOSSARY 240
Thomas William Smartt (1858-1928) 191 SOURCES 245
Francis Edgar Kanthack (1872 961) 192 NOTES
Daniel Francis Kokot (1893-1989) 193 & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 246
Ninham Shand (1899-1969) 194 INDEX 248
Sir James Peter “Percy” Fitzpatrick 17. THE AUTHORS 254
(1862-1931) 195 Brian Alexander 254
Thomas Bowker (1890-1964) 196 Bob Blyth 255
Thomas Christian Watermeyer Tony Boniface 256
(1910-1988) 196 Alastair Morgan 257
Colin Carter (1924-2018) 197 Tony Murray 258
Paul Back 198
Bob Hawkins 199
Keeve Steyn (1923-2016) 200
Alan Muir Wood (1921-2009) 201
Alec Wilson (1926-1992) 202
Robbie Myburgh (1920-2005) 203
Eric Chunnett (1923-2000) 204
Alf Wood (1946 -) 204