Lesotho From: The Orange–Senqu River BasinInfrastructure Catalogue,ORASECOM Report 001/2013 Phase II Phase Ib Phase Ia Phase IIisabouttocommence): 2013, at as (currently, below shown as phases, five envisaged project original The Description Phase Loca countries. KingdomofLesothothe Vaal tothe Africabyatreaty RiverinSouth two betweenthe the 38-km Katse–the P 163.5-m-high P the 5.7-km-long transferthe tunnel from Matsoku the Weir toKatse Dam. 15-m-highMatsokuthe DiversionWeir 32-km-longtransferthe tunnelfrom MohaleDamtoupstream the ofKatse Dam 145-m-highMohaleDam the the intakethe structure 70m capableofhandling 185-m-highKatsethe Dam the 37-km-long delivery tunnelfrom 37-km-longdelivery the Vaal MuelaDamtothe the Riverbasin. MuelaDamandhydropowerthe station 45-km-longtransferthe tunnelfrom Katse MuelaDam Dam tothe I of the Lesotho tion Leso olihali Tunnelolihali Highlands Water olihali Dam olihali tho HighlandsWa P roject (LHWP) constructed a scheme from 3 /s ter Projec Dept of WaterAffairs) Phase Iof theLesothoHighlandsWaterProject (fromlocality map producedbytheSA MASERU LESOTHO FICKSBURG ± 145mhigh ± 135mhigh Mohale Dam Mohale Dam FOURIESBURG t ± 32km,3.9mØ Mohale toKatse Mohale toKatse transfer transfer (© UNOPS/CMor) Mohale Dam,partoftheLesotho HighlandsWater Project To Vaal Dam ± 45kmlong ± 45kmlong 4.35 mØ 4.35 mØ Transfer Transfer Tunnel Tunnel ± 185mhigh ± 135mhigh Katse Dam Katse Dam ± 38kmlong 4.35 mØ Delivery Tunnel ± 6.4kmlong ± 6.4kmlong Matsoku Weir Matsoku Weir Vaal Basin ± 31mhigh ± 25mhigh and Tunnel and tunnel 3.8 mØ 3.8 mØ Sterkfontein Tugela Basin Dam Woodstock Dam BERGVILLE Lesotho Highlands Water Project
Kobong Pumped Storage Scheme Physical information LHWP Dams the existing tunnels would be used as conveyance from Katse Dam. Name FSC (million m3) Wall height (m) Purpose Katse 1,950 185 The purpose of the LHWP is to augment South Africa’s water supply via a transfer to the Vaal River catchment (and it is therefore classified as part of the Vaal River System), Mohale 947 145 in addition to generating electricity for Lesotho. The hydroelectric station is situated near Muela in Lesotho, approximately 45 km from Katse Dam. However, demands Physical information LHWP Tunnels within Lesotho are growing, and it is envisaged that current resources, including surface water runoff, groundwater and well points, will not be sufficient. Part of the Description Length (km) recently completed Lesotho Lowlands Study assessed options for possible storage dams for this reason. Katse Dam to Muela Dam 45
During periods of water shortages, water is discharged from the Muela Dam into the Muela Dam to the Vaal River basin 37 Mohokare (Caledon) River to provide water to the capital of Lesotho, Maseru, and Mohale Dam to Katse Dam 32 other towns. Releases are also made for the downstream ecological reserve. Once the whole scheme has been implemented, it will transfer the maximum flow to South Africa (long-term maximum of 877 million m3/a). Lesotho constitutes only 5% of the Orange River catchment, but provides approximately 50% of the total catchment runoff. The water quality is characterised as good, with low sediment content.