Tenders delivered for Neckertal access roads

TEN contractors tendered for the construction of gravel access roads to the Neckertal Dam, with total costs ranging between N$31.9 million and N$42.5 million.

The Neckartal Dam will be situated 40km west of Keetmanshoop and will provide water for the irrigation of around 5 000ha of land. The construction of the dam is considered as an important development for southern Namibia. The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, recently delivered a progress report on the project to Cabinet, the funding thereof and the schedule for implementation.

Provided funding is secured, the implementation of the project and construction of Phase 1 of the Neckertal Dam will start in July/August.

A quarry site that will provide about 600 000 cu.m of material and have a surface area of approximately 6ha, has been identified to supply material for the construction of the dam wall. The quarry is situated about 10km from the dam wall. An access road of about 10km will be constructed from the dam construction site to the dolerite quarry site, as well as a 20km access road from Snyfontein to the dam site.

Cabinet was also asked to direct the Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the National Planning Commission to ensure that funding is made available in line with the cash-flow projections for the implementations of the project.

The whole project is expected to cost about N$2.4 billion. The Neckartal Dam will have a catchment area of 45,365km² and average annual runoff of 397 million cu.m/a. The height of the dam wall is anticipated to be 66m and the wall crest length is expected to be 480m. The storage volume is expected to be 846 million cu.m and the full supply area may cover 39km².

The site for a potential dam in the Fish River canyon was first identified in the early 1900’s. A feasibility study was performed in 1947 and some form of design prepared in 1948.