Midmar Dam

Dam in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal

29°30′S 30°11′E / 29.500°S 30.183°E / -29.500; 30.183PurposeMunicipal and industrial useOpening date1965Owner(s)Department of Water AffairsDam and spillwaysType of damCombination gravity and earth fill damImpoundsUmgeni River^[1]Height30 metres (98 ft)Length1,423 metres (4,669 ft)ReservoirCreatesMidmar Dam ReservoirTotal capacity235,000 megalitres (235 hm³)^[2]Surface area1,788 hectares (4,420 acres)

Midmar Dam is a combined gravity & earth-fill type dam and recreation area located near Howick and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Boating, swimming, waterskiing, picnicking, and fishing are popular pastimes at Midmar Dam. Each year, the Midmar Mile swimming race is held there, which organizers call "the world's largest open water swimming event". Over 20,000 entries were received for the 2009 event. Midmar Dam is located in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. The dam's primary purpose is to serve for municipal and industrial use and its hazard potential has been ranked high (3).

Morgenzon has camping and caravanning sites, both powered and non-powered. The dam also hosts a yacht club,^[3] and lock up storage facilities for boats.

Midmar Dam is easily accessible from the N3 motorway.

References

^ "Quantification of factors affecting coagulation of water with cationic polymers and laboratory methods for determining these effects". Foundation for Water Research. January 2004. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
^ "uMgungundlovu IDP - Phase one: part 3 - Analysis Report". KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
^ "Home". hmyc.org.za.