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Swaziland/ Eswatini Dams

Mbabane, Swaziland

List of Dams In Eswatini

A dam is defined as a barrier or structure across a stream, river or waterway to confine and then control the flow of water. Dams are structures built to retain water by forming a reservoir behind the structure. These are usually built across, or near, naturally flowing water to manage the water for human use.

Here are the List of Dams In Eswatini

Maguga Dam

Mnjoli Dam

Sand River

Luphoplo Dam

Henrick Van ECK Dam

Sivunga Dam

Nyetane Dam

Hawane Dam

Lavumisa Dam

How many dams are there in Eswatini?

The drought season may be truly over in Eswatini where recent rains have filled up the kingdom’s four major dams.

Which is the biggest dam in Eswatini?

Maguga Dam The Maguga Dam is a dam on the Komati River in Eswatini. It is 115 metres (377 ft) high and is located about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of Piggs Peak. It was built as a joint project of the governments of South Africa and Eswatini.

"Water is central to the economy of Swaziland as it contributes significantly to GDP via agriculture export earnings and basic livelihoods of people. Infrastructure like roads, electricity and potable water are expanding around this sector. The health sector and communications are also expanding in response to investments in irrigated agriculture....

The governments of South Africa and Eswatini are planning to build more dams in the Komati River Basin for irrigation purposes.

The Eswatini government, that made the announcement, said between 2 and 9 March the two governments would "engage" the public in their review of the Komati River Basin Treaty.

The treaty, signed in 1992, is the blueprint for both countries' use and development of the Komati River Basin. It is being run through line ministries responsible for water in both countries which form the Komati Basin Water Authority (Kobwa).

Through the treaty, the basin forms Maguga Dam in Eswatini, which provides 20MW of hydroelectricity. The dam, which is also used for irrigation, is the biggest public works project ever in Eswatini.

On the South African side, the basin forms the Driekoppies Dam, which is used for irrigation projects in Mpumalanga.

READ | Vaal Dam at 120% capacity: Department says it has plans in place to prevent a 'significant disaster'

The Eswatini government said the treaty had not been renewed and that the two countries "would like to enhance and elevate the operations of Kobwa's mandate".

The two countries intended to manage Kobwa as an accredited water management institution and wanted to move to the second phase of the project, which would result in the construction

of additional dams at the Komati Water Basin.

For that, public submissions have been invited from both countries.

Dorcas Dlamini, principal secretary in Eswatini's Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, said:

The review process of the draft treaty will be undertaken through workshops.

South Africa will hold a stakeholders' meeting at the Pestana Kruger Lodge in Malelane on Thursday. A week later on 9 March, Eswatini will engage the public at Piggs Peak Hotel in Mbabane.

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