You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 44.201.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪ST47‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a web host's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and they should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 23:54, 31 July 2024.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪AntiCompositeNumber‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: Visit the FAQ if you are affected .
- Start of block: 13:55, 18 August 2022
- Expiry of block: 13:55, 18 April 2025
Your current IP address is 44.201.28.123. The blocked range is 44.201.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((Short description|Water Supply and hydropower project by South Africa and Lesotho))
((more citations needed|date=September 2016))
[[File:katse dam intake tower.jpg|thumb|Katse Dam reservoir and intake tower]]
[[File:WIRTH 529 Telescopic Shielded TBM.JPG|thumb|A 320 metre long WIRTH 529 tunnel boring machine used on the project]]
[[File:LHWP map resized.jpg|thumb|Lesotho Highlands Water Project]]

The '''Lesotho Highlands Water Project''' ('''LHWP''') is an ongoing [[water supply]] project with a [[hydropower]] component, developed in partnership between the governments of [[Lesotho]] and [[South Africa]]. It comprises a system of several large [[dam]]s and tunnels throughout [[Lesotho]] and delivers water to the [[Vaal Dam|Vaal River System]] in [[South Africa]]. In Lesotho, it involves the rivers [[Malibamatso]], [[Matsoku]], [[Senqunyane]], and [[Senqu]]. It is Africa's largest water transfer scheme.

The purpose of the project is to provide Lesotho with a source of revenue in exchange for the provision of water to South Africa, as well as generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho.<ref>((Cite web|title=Home ((!)) LHDA|url=http://www.lhda.org.ls/lhdaweb|access-date=2020-11-24|website=www.lhda.org.ls))</ref> As of 2015, royalties paid by South Africa to the Lesotho government amount to R780 million, equivalent to about 5 percent of Lesotho's state income outside of taxes.<ref>((cite journal |last1=Rousselot |first1=Yannick |title=Upstream Flows of Water: from the Lesotho Highlands to Metropolitan South Africa: Territorialities and Hydropolitics in Southern Africa |journal=Revue de géographie alpine |date=31 December 2015 |issue=103–3 |doi=10.4000/rga.3023|doi-access=free ))</ref> The hydro-electric power has enabled Lesotho to become self-sufficient in electricity production, however criticisms have included loss of livelihoods for displaced people and ecological impacts.<ref>((cite journal |last1=Keketso |first1=Lawrence |title=The Mixed Blessings of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project: An Assessment Based on Local Perspectives |journal=Mountain Research and Development |date=February 2003 |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=7–10 |doi=10.1659/0276-4741(2003)023[0007:TMBOTL]2.0.CO;2|doi-access=free))</ref>

==History==
Efforts to create a dam in the location were spearheaded by then [[British High Commissioner]] Sir [[Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale|Evelyn Baring]] in the 1950s, after initially being conceived by the South African civil engineer Ninham Shand while carrying out investigations commissioned by the British Government into the rivers of Lesotho.<ref name="nshand">((cite journal |url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/iicep.1970.7187 |title=Obituary: Ninham Shand, BSc |author=Unknown |date=1970 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=379–380 |publisher=ICE Virtual Library |doi=10.1680/iicep.1970.7187 |access-date=9 October 2021 |quote="In 1953, while carrying out investigations commissioned by the British Government into the rivers of the Lesotho, Shand first conceived the idea of diverting the headwaters of the Orange River from an altitude of some 10 000 ft in the Lesotho Mountains to augment the limited water supplies available for the Witwatersrand and Orange Free State. This pioneering concept became known as the Oxbox Scheme, itself a single element of a much wider plan which captured the imagination of the people of Lesotho."))</ref> As initially conceived, the project was known as the '''Oxbow Scheme'''.<ref name="nshand" />

After a [[feasibility study]] was conducted between August 1983 and August 1986 by the German-British Lahmeyer MacDonald Consortium, the project eventually began to be realized.<ref>((cite web |last1=Lang |first1=Chris |last2=Hildyard |first2=Nick |last3=Geary |first3=Kate |last4=Grainger |first4=Matthew |title=Lahmeyer International |url=http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/resource/dams-incorporated#index-01-08-04-04 |website=Dams Incorporated |publisher=[[The Corner House (organisation)|The Corner House]] |date=28 February 2000))</ref> The project has been alleged to have had negative social and environmental effects. While compensation was provided in kind and paid to the few hundred households affected by the dams, there is criticism that it was insufficient.<ref name="Hoover 2001">((Cite report |last=Hoover |first=Ryan |date=2001 |title=Pipe Dreams - The World Bank's Failed Efforts to Restore Lives and Livelihoods of Dam-Affected People in Lesotho |url=http://www.irn.org/programs/lesotho/pdf/pipedreams.pdf |publisher=International Rivers Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819071657/http://www.irn.org/programs/lesotho/pdf/pipedreams.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2007 ))</ref>

In recent years, water from the scheme has been discharged into the [[Mohokare River|Mohokare]] (Caledon) river to provide water to [[Maseru]] in times of critical shortages.<ref>((cite journal |last1=Letsie |first1=M. |last2=Allopi |first2=D. |last3=Osorio |first3=A. |last4=Goldschmith |first4=A. |last5=Edelman |first5=D. A. |title=Maqalika Reservoir: utilisation and sustainability of Maqalika Reservoir as a source of potable water supply for Maseru in Lesotho |journal=IMIESA |date=July 2008 |volume=33 |issue=7 |pages=23–33 |url=https://researchspace.csir.co.za/dspace/handle/10204/4170 |language=en |issn=0257-1978|hdl=10204/4170|hdl-access=free))</ref> The new dams have filled as anticipated and discharge of water from the dams into the downstream rivers continues in a scheme devised to preserve ecological balances. This discharged water flows to the Senqu (Orange) and while preserving the ecological ''status quo'' benefits only those communities along the rivers.((Citation needed|date=February 2011))

The project has had an important impact on Lesotho's infrastructure, as hundreds of kilometers of engineered paved roads were built in order to improve access to the different construction sites, together with engineered unpaved 'feeder' roads around the dams.<ref>((cite news |last1=Kolver |first1=Leandi |title=Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 launched |url=https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/lesotho-highlands-water-project-phase-2-launched-2014-03-27/rep_id:4136 |work=Engineering News |date=27 March 2014 |language=en))</ref>

Since its inception, the project has been dogged by [[corruption]] which has resulted in a number of court cases involving both individuals and multinational corporations.
<ref name="Earle Turnton 2005">((cite conference |url=http://www.siwi.org/downloads/WWW-Symp/Earle_Turton_Presentation_Corr_case_study.pdf |title=Corruption on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project - a case study |first1=Anton |last1=Earle |first2=Anthony |last2=Turton |year=2005 |conference=World Water Week 2005  |publisher=Stockholm International Water Institute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928150204/http://www.siwi.org/downloads/WWW-Symp/Earle_Turton_Presentation_Corr_case_study.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2007 |location=Stockholm ))</ref>

==Project features==
Below is an overview of the main features of the first three phases of the project.

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Phase IA
! Phase IB
! Phase II
! Phase III
|- 
! style="text-align:left;"|Name
| Katse Dam
| Mohale Dam
| Polihali Dam<ref name="LHWP Phase II - Engineering">((cite web| url=http://www.lhda.org.ls/phase2/engineeringcomponents.php| title=LHWP Phase II - Engineering| publisher=Lesotho Highlands Development Authority| date=2015| access-date=1 October 2015))</ref>
| Tsoelike Dam
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Dam height (m)
| 185
| 145
| 165
| 155
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Power generation((Efn|The values are estimates based on the feasibility study, and may differ from the current or eventual values, respectively.|group=lower-alpha|name=estimate)) (MW)
((nobold|(installed capacity)))
| 110
| N/A
| 3-8 (potentially)<ref name="LHWP Phase II - Engineering"/>
| N/A
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Water transfer capacity((Efn|The values are estimates based on the feasibility study, and may differ from the current or eventual values, respectively.|group=lower-alpha|name=estimate)) (m³/s)
| 16.9
| 10.1
| 28.0((citation needed|date=October 2015))
| 8.6
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Transfer tunnels
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
| No
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Delivery tunnels
| Yes
| No
| No
| No
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Completed
| 1998<ref name="EIB">((cite web |title=Lesotho Highlands Water Project |url=https://www.eib.org/en/press/news/lesotho-highlands-water-project |website=European Investment Bank |access-date=17 August 2021 |language=en |date=26 November 2002))</ref>
| 2003<ref name="EIB" />
| Under Construction (Estimated completion 2027-28)<ref>((cite news |last1=Moraes  |first1=Chriselle |title=Construction Begins On Phase 2 Of The Lesotho Highlands Water Project |url=https://www.constructafrica.com/news/construction-begins-phase-2-lesotho-highlands-water-project |work=Construct Africa |date=2023-05-25))</ref>
| No (On hold)<ref name="UConhold">((cite news |last1=Oirere |first1=Shem |title=Pandemic Puts Hold on Southern Africa's Water Tunnel Projects |url=https://ucononline.com/magazine/2021/april-2021-vol-76-no-4/features/pandemic-puts-hold-on-southern-africa-s-water-tunnel-projects |work=Underground Construction |issue=4 |date=April 2021|volume=76))</ref>
|}
((Notelist|group=lower-alpha))

==Phase I==
Phase  of the project comprises all the essential components to impound water in the [[Katse Dam]], generate electricity and deliver water to the [[Vaal River|Vaal River System]]. Phase I has been carefully configured so that Katse Dam remains the common link to further phases identified during feasibility studies. In line with the phased approach, Phase I consists of Phase IA comprising the essential components, and Phase IB which enhances the yield of the project with the addition of two peripheral sources namely the [[Mohale Dam]] and the [[Matsoku Weir]].

===Phase IA===
This phase of the project was completed in 1998. It consisted mainly of the construction of the Katse Dam on the [[Malibamat'so River]] in Lesotho.
A ((Convert|45|km||abbr=|adj=on)) transfer tunnel was built from the Katse Dam to the Muela Reservoir. The Muela Reservoir is considered to be the tail pond, which supplies hydroelectric power for Lesotho. Stemming from the Muela Reservoir is a ((Convert|37|km||abbr=|adj=on)) delivery tunnel to the outfall at the [[As River]] from where water flows to the [[Vaal Dam]].
Although the Katse Dam has power generation capability for local use, the primary purpose is as the storage [[reservoir]] for Phase IA, and to provide discharge into the transfer tunnel.

To mitigate loss of habitat, the [[Katse Botanical Gardens]] was established to house plants that were rescued from the area to be flooded.<ref name="bgci">((cite web|title=Katse Botanic Garden|url=http://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=2591|publisher=[[Botanic Gardens Conservation International]]|access-date=9 December 2016))</ref>

===Phase IB===
[[File:Mohale Dam 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Mohale Dam and reservoir]]
This phase of the project was completed in 2002. It consisted mainly of the construction of:

* The [[Mohale Dam]], a very large rockfill dam, located on the [[Senqunyane River]];
* A ((Convert|32|km||abbr=|adj=on)) transfer tunnel between the Mohale Dam and the Katse Dam;
* Construction of the Matsoku Diversion Weir;
* A ((Convert|5.7|km||abbr=|adj=on)) tunnel from the Matsoku Diversion Weir to the Katse Dam.

The system is interconnected in such a way that water may be transferred in either direction for storage in Mohale or ultimate transfer to South Africa through the Katse reservoir.

==Phase II==
*In 2005, an agreement between the Governments of South Africa and Lesotho was signed to proceed with feasibility studies;
*In 2006, the feasibility study was commenced and completed in late 2008;
*The agreement to implement Phase II was signed in Maseru on 11 August 2011;
*The launch of Phase II construction took place at Tlokoeng on 27 March 2014.<ref>((cite web| url=http://www.lhda.org.ls/phase2/milestones.php| title=LHWP Phase II - Milestones| publisher=Lesotho Highlands Development Authority| date=2015| access-date=1 October 2015))</ref>
*The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] caused construction to be delayed. Construction of diversion tunnels for the Polihali Dam did not start as planned in early 2020<ref name="UConhold" /><ref>((Cite web|last=Oirere|first=Shem|date=April 2021|title=Pandemic Puts Hold on Southern Africa's Water Tunnel Projects|url=https://ucononline.com/magazine/2021/april-2021-vol-76-no-4/features/pandemic-puts-hold-on-southern-africa-s-water-tunnel-projects|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Underground Construction))</ref>
The CEO of the LHWP implementing body of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), Refiloe Tlali, said: "the 2.3-billion cubic metre Polihali dam will be built downstream of the confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu rivers. The dam will have a 163.5 m high concrete-faced rockfill embankment dam wall. The crest length will be 915 m, with a full supply level of 2,075 m above sea level. A 49.5 m high saddle dam and spillway will also be built."<ref>((cite news |last1=James |first1=Nadine |title=Phase II update: Polihali dam construction expected in 2019 |url=https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/phase-ii-update-polihali-dam-construction-expected-in-2019-2016-07-29/rep_id:4136 |work=Engineering News |date=29 July 2016 |language=en))</ref>

Upon completion phase 2 will enable over 400 million cubic metres of water to flow from Lesotho to the Vaal Dam and will move the total volume of water being transferred from Lesotho to South Africa to over 1.27 billion cubic metres per year. The Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority will raise most of the R40 billion required to complete phase 2. <ref>((cite news |last1=Moraes  |first1=Chriselle |title=Construction Begins On Phase 2 Of The Lesotho Highlands Water Project |url=https://www.constructafrica.com/news/construction-begins-phase-2-lesotho-highlands-water-project |work=Construct Africa |date=2023-05-25))</ref>

In August 2023, the ''Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority'' (TCTA) secured funding from the [[New Development Bank]] amounting to 3.2 billion South African rand (approx. US$172 million) to be applied to the continuation of Phase 2. This loan is in addition to US$86.72 million borrowed from the [[African Development Bank]] as well as funding from other sources. The [[engineering, procurement and construction]] (EPC) contractor is a consortium comprising [[Salini Impregilo]] and ''Cooperativa Muratori Cementistri'' (CMC di Ravenna), both from Italy, ''CMI Infrastructure Company'' of South Africa and ''LSP Construction'' of Lesotho. Completion of phase 2 is expected in 2028.<ref name="Ph2R">((cite web|work=Afrik21.africa |url=https://www.afrik21.africa/en/brics-summit-170m-announced-for-the-lhwp-water-project-in-south-africa/ |title=BRICS Summit: $170m announced for the LHWP water project in South Africa |date=23 August 2023 |author=Inès Magoum |access-date=24 August 2023 | location=Paris, France))</ref>

==Later phases==
[[File:Asrivieruitval, noord van Clarens, b.jpg|thumb|210px|right|The [[As River]] Outfall is situated 9 km north of [[Clarens, Free State|Clarens]] and was opened in 1998. The As delivers water to the [[Saulspoort Dam]] and [[Liebenbergsvlei River|Liebenbergsvlei]] and [[Wilge River]]s beyond, where after the water enters the [[Vaal Dam]].]]
[[File:Klein-Caledonrivieruitval, Clarens, Vrystaat.jpg|thumb|210px|right|The discharge point in the Little Caledon River east of Clarens, which serves as a conduit to the [[Caledon River|Caledon]] (or Mohokare) River.]]
As initially conceived, three further dams were proposed further downstream after the Malibamatso joins the Senqu river, at Mashai, Tsoelike, and Ntoahae.

In 2007, further studies resulted in a modification, proposing instead a dam on the Senqu, upstream from its confluence with the Malibamatso. This is currently the preferred extension of the scheme, although construction has not yet begun (as of November 2021).<ref>((cite web |title=The Lesotho Highlands Water Project: Environmental Flow Allocations in an International River |url=https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/lesotho.pdf |publisher=[[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] |access-date=17 August 2021))</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Lesotho Highlands]]

==References==
((Reflist))

==External links==
* [http://www.lhda.org.ls/ Lesotho Highlands Development Authority]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060925113034/http://www.tcta.co.za/LHWP/lhwp_gallery.htm Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151006112348/http://www.smec.com/Default.aspx?aProjId=928 Lesotho Highlands Further Phases Feasibility Study]
*Aicha Amouchi
*Ryan Anton
*Hoover van Ryij

[[Category:Dams in Lesotho]]
[[Category:Hydroelectricity in Lesotho]]
[[Category:Water in Lesotho]]
[[Category:Lesotho–South Africa relations]]
[[Category:Reservoirs in South Africa]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Lesotho Highlands Water Project (edit)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Template:Citation needed (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite conference (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite journal (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite news (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite report (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Convert (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Delink (view source) (protected)
Template:Efn (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Fix (view source) (protected)
Template:Fix/category (view source) (protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:More citations needed (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Nobold (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Nobold/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Notelist (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Convert (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Convert/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Convert/text (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Delink (view source) (protected)
Module:Disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Find sources (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/links (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/templates/Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Redirect (view source) (protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesotho_Highlands_Water_Project"