Hartbeespoort Dam

The Hartbeespoort Dam ( official name of the dam and reservoir: Hartbeespoort Dam Reservoir ) is a dam in South Africa in the North West Province about 35 kilometers west of Pretoria lying in the middle of the Hartbeespoort Nature Reserve. The shut-off was built on a narrow opening through the Magaliesberg and dammed the waters of the Crocodile River and the Magalies River with an arch dam.

For the construction of the dam the necessary land was acquired by the South African government from 1912. It was built in 1921-1923. 1925, the reservoir was filled for the first time so far that water emanated from him. After its completion, the lake and the surrounding area developed into a popular tourist and Wochenenderholungsort the inhabitants of Johannesburg and Pretoria, which they are still today. The lake belongs together with the reservoir of the Vaal Dam to the few water sports areas in and around Gauteng.

Due to the high tourist attraction have animal parks, sports facilities, numerous restaurants and hotels as well as a cable car, the Hartbeespoort Dam Cableway settled.

The dam was built for irrigation purposes. Today it irrigates 160 square kilometers in the area.

The lake is known for its very poor water quality. Large amounts of phosphates and nitrates from agriculture in the catchment area as well as from untreated sewage from the adjoining areas of Gauteng are washed into the lake. Eutrophication caused thereby is identi-fied by the often intense green color of the water.

The average water depth of the reservoir is 9.6 meters and the maximum water depth 45.1 meters.

About the mural crown, a road leads.

Others

The reservoir was after the Afrikaans name Hartbeespoort ( German " Hartebeest Pass "; afrikaans Hartebeest, German " Hartebeest " ) named. Thus, the narrow opening is meant by the Magaliesberg Mountains or the same name, now flooded farm of General Hendrik Schoeman. The area is accessible by the National Road 4 South.