The Vaalkop Dam is a combined gravity and earth-fill type dam located in
North West Province,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. Its reservoir is located at the confluence of the
Elands River and the
Hex River, part of the
Crocodile
Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to inclu ...
basin. The dam was established originally in 1972 and was renovated in 2008 in order to supply water for the
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
and associated metals mining operations in the area. The dam mainly serves for irrigation purposes, municipal water supply and industrial uses. The hazard potential of the dam has been ranked high.
The Vaalkop Dam lies near
Pilanesberg
The Pilanesberg (formerly Pilandsberg) is a mountain in the North West Province, South Africa. The mountain is an ancient volcanic structure, circular in shape, that rises from flat surrounding plains. It is formed by three concentric ridges or r ...
, ESE from the outer perimeter of the ancient crater formation.
Vaalkop (reservoir)
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See also
*List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
The following is a partial list of dams in South Africa. __NOTOC__
In South African English (as well as Afrikaans), a dam refers to both the wall as well as the reservoir or lake that builds up as a consequence.
List of dams (reservoirs)
...
References
External links
R264m water scheme flows onVaalkop Dam Species Diversity Report, October 2009
Dams in South Africa
Dams completed in 2010
Crocodile River (Limpopo)
Buildings and structures in North West (South African province)
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