Sterkfontein Dam
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- A brief exploration of the Sterkfontein and Driekloof Dams, sharing the same geographical basin.
In this video we'll take a brief look at:
The earth-filled dam wall
Only Island in Sterkfontein Dam
Qwantani harbour
Drakensburg Pumped Storage Scheme
The Bottom of the dam in places
Sterkfontein Resort
Location of Campsite: maps.app.goo.g...
Music Credits:
Astral Roar: Lama House
Paramount Crowning: Rand Ronaldo
Helium: TrackTribe
Hotham: Find
I've stayed at Quantanie, fished allot, and water skiied, next time I am taking my diving equipment with. I is a magic dam, I never knew driekloof and Sterkfontein was 1 dam infact, I saw the dam wall in the middle of the dam but never realised it's 2 dams. Excellent video.
Thanks for uploading. I grew up at the dam during construction.
Fun facts.
1. Sterkfontein has a negligible rain catchment area and basically all its water is pumped up from the underutilised Tugela river. It is a holding resevoir for Gauteng and pumped hydro storage facility.
2. It’s pumped hydro storage facility is absolutely vital for balancing SA’s power grid. It can absorb a 2gigawatt (equal to 2 stages of loadshedding) swing between excess power on the grid and shortfall. Without its minute by minute smoothing of electricity supply and demand the grid would crash. It has been performing this vital function since the 80’s. In 2015 a 2nd Pumped hydro Storage scheme at Van Reenen was added to the grid because Sterkfontein’s one was over capacity.
It does not make new electricity but acts like a massive battery for the country.
3. Midmar, Bloemhof and Sterkfontein Dams will all be inside the path of totality during the 2030 total solar eclipse. I lived at and grew up at all 3 dams during their construction so I find this a very cool quirk.
4. Sterkfontein holds more water than Vaal Dam by a whisker but Vaal Dam has nearly 5 times more surface area. Because of excessive evaporation losses at Vaal its level is allowed to drop very low before releasing water from Sterkfontein. And the low Vaal level is useful in encouraging careful water usage even when reserves are actually still safe. You could say they are jointly SA’s 2nd largest dams.
5. The dam drains into the Nuwejaar spruit which at times runs dry. When the dam sluice gate is open and supplementing water in Vaal it becomes quite a substantial river. And definitely not a spruit that runs at new year.
6. During planning the dam was initially sited in the next valley near Kestell and would have flooded parts of Phuthadichaba. It would have enjoyed quite good rainfall from the Drakensberg but could not be a pumped storage dam and the potential water supply from Tugela was much larger and more dependable.
Thank you for your list of fun facts. I've not come across anyone who was involved in the planning or construction of the dam.
Your points regarding the way the pumped storage facility balances the power grid was particularly interesting.
I thought we might see the sluice gate open in December as Vaal dam headed for 18% however this didn't happen to my knowledge.
There was a document circulated to property owners along the Nuwejaar Spruit and Wilge River advising them to remove any equipment near the river in case the sluice needed to be opened.
I am interested to know where the intake is for the Nuwejaar Spruit sluice at Sterkfontein.
@ The inflow to Nuwejaar Spruit is a the lowest point of the earth wall. It starts out as a canal and then transitions into the original spruit.
Thank you for your interesting post. I've found the whole Tugela/Vaal scheme fascinating, ever since learning about it in high school geography class while it was being constructed.
It was a very impressive and far-thinking project at its inception, and it impresses me to this day.
I love this dam thanks for showing it like I’ve never seen before
What an excellent professional production! Please do more!
Mate, don't let the channel die. Upload more
Thanks:) Have one or two more projects I'll complete during the Festive Season
Thanks, stumbled a upon your video today, great production
Thank you for a very interesting and informative video. I have always been under the impression that boating is not allowed at sterkfontein. Your underwater footage was especially interesting. You have gained a subscriber.
Thanks for your informative video on Sterkfontein Dam.Sounds like a lovely scenic place.At least you planted a picture of the dam in my head,as previously it was just a name.😂
Now this was well put together. To the point, great narration and subtle music in places. Nothing too much or too little. Looking forward to more from this channel. Subscribed and liked.
Thank you for the positive feedback!
Excellent production, thank you!
@@Trail_Heads thank you!
Wow!
Moerse nice my maat.
Flippen fantastiese produksie.
Splinternuwe kanaal, hou aan doen wat jy doen.
Baie sterkte vorentoe vir jou kanaal.
Dankie vir jou positiewe boodskap.
Ek waardeer dit opreg.
Nice video. I was surprised that no mention was made that the Drankensburg pump storage setup is used as a nett transfer of water from the Tugela river system to the Vaal river system. There is a channel system from the Tugela river to the Kilburn dam. I also have heard that due to the very good "dam" geometry of the Sterkfontein dam (small area, deep), and the very poor "dam" geometry of the Vaal dam (large area and shallow), the water is kept back at Sterkfontein and released to the Vaal as necessary. I believe it takes 5 days to get there, but that was hearsay.
Very interesting
Interessting!
Thank goodness we did this before 1994 otherwise it would never happen!!!
Ngindlula lapho mangiya e Bergville😂😂
waau, Dankie. Sal meer onder water tonele wil sien. Ek het al daar geduik op soek na 'n boot wat gesink het maar ons het moed opgegee omdat ons bo-op 'n woud bome beland het. Die diepte is ook baie dieper as wat ons verwag het, veral nadat die water vlak baie gestyg het 'n jaar nadat die boot gesink het.
Thanks for your comment. The underwater video can be challenging due to the depth and vegetation on the bottom which can snag the line. The other challenge is that we only know what the footage looks like when the camera comes up. You can see the camera and tether on the fish finder but orientation is difficult.
Sterkfontein seems to sit permanently at 95%+ unlike in 2020 when the level was lower. If Vaal dam continues to drop then we might see water released and the level lowered, maybe even enough for the Wildebeest to make it back to land.
Guess that wildebeest will be off the island soon judging from the level of the vaal dam
With the Vaal dam at 18% and the Lesotho water supply failing , this dam is all the water that is left for Gauteng . Apparently the sluice gates are rusted shut.
Gloomy sad ppl will always come up with rusty stories and sadly they become truth for many. Sterkfontein can release water to Vaal Dam when needed.
Great video. Where’s the campsite located? Maybe add the google maps location to the video description.
Thank you, location added in description.
I understand you camped there. What’s your view on the campsite? Google reviews are pretty bad specifically regarding ablutions maintenance.
Will you be making more videos?
There are two more in the pipeline - Inanda and Midmar dams.
Komplimente van die dom Boere...💪🦁
1960s. Project started and project completed ..... lol even some upgrades
when will there be a new video
I plan to add another two during the off-time in the next month.
💚
Goodday reader. Is this dam still unpolluted? The dam where I grew up(Bronkhorstspruit dam) is in such
a state you are taking you're life in you're own hands,trying to swim there. One off the many trophies off the
government.
The economic implications is disastrous. Cobus🐳
Hello, as far as we can tell the dam is incredibly clean. This is likely because of its height above sea-level, proximity to informal settlements and the way sediment settles when it enters from the tributary.