Geography water- Lesotho highland water prohect case study

What is it?

• huge water transfer scheme aided to help solve the water shortage in South Africa

• 40% of the water from rive Segu (L) will be transferred to the River valley (SA)

• Involves construction of dams, reservoirs and pipelines

• Will take 30 years to complete

What is the background of Lesotho

• has few resources

• High level of poverty

• Unable to feed its growing population

• Is in water surplus

What are the main features of the scheme?

• Water transferred to south Africa by a 32km tunnel which allows a hydro-electric power plant to be produced at the Muela plant

• 165m- high Polihali dam will hold 2.2 billion m³ of water and will be connected the Katse dam by a 38km transfer tunnel.

• When completed, 200km of tunnels will transfer 2000 million m³ of water to SA each year

3 advantages for Lesotho

• provides 75% of its GDP

• Improvements to transport infrastructure with access roads built to the construction sites

• Sanitation coverage will increase from 15 to 20%

3 Disadvantages for Lesotho

• building the first two dams meant 3000 people bad to move from their land

• Destruction of a unique wetland ecosystem due to control of regular flooding downstream of the dams

• Corruption has prevent money and investment reaching those affected by the construction

3 advantages for South Africa

• provides water to an area with an uneven rainfall pattern and regular droughts

• Provides safe water for the 10% of the population without access to a safe water supply

• The infux of water from Lesotho is restoring the balance

3 disadvantages for South Africa

• costs are likely to reach US$4 billion

• 40% of water is lost through leakages

• Corruption has plagued the whole project