Comrie Dam Expansion

The proposed Comrie Dam expansion will entail the raising of the existing dam wall (12m) by 4m to increase the storage capacity. The toe of the new wall is 1.3m lower than the existing toe, giving an overall wall height of 17.3m. The expansion of the dam will result in the inundation of an additional area of approximately 79.2 hectares in extent, including both the banks and the headwater area. This will result in a total area of inundation of 150.2 ha and a total dam capacity of 6 500 000m³. Floodplain and wetland vegetation established in the headwater area of the dam will become inundated. The proposed development also entails the construction of three new roads to access the dam and provide haulage routes as the existing Plantation Road will be inundated. Other elements of the project include the expansion of an existing spillway and installation of a gauging weir downstream of the dam wall on the Ngudwini River. Comrie Dam is located on Sappi owned land approximately 7km north east of Donnybrook on the Ngudwini River, in the Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality (previously Ingwe Local Municipality), KwaZulu-Natal. Approximate GPS Coordinates: -29.871642, 29.924160.