Cape Town – The raising of the Garden Route Dam wall is about 70% complete.
George municipality spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose said construction for the raising of the Garden Route Dam spillway began on May 13, and the contractor was on schedule to complete the work within the contract period of 10 months.
“To date, the blinding layer comprising of 700m³ of mass concrete has been completed. The drainage channel in the basin has taken shape within this mass concrete layer. Approximately 85m of under-floor drains have also been placed,” Edwards-Klose said.
The raising of the actual dam wall is progressing steadily with the contractor having placed about 7 500m³ of suitable fill material excavated from the dam basin on the mountain to ocean (MTO) forestry and Nelson Mandela University (NMU) side of the dam.
“Almost 1 000m³ of rock ‘rip-rap’ has been placed on the upstream side of the dam wall. This rip-rap is needed to prevent erosion of the earth embankment of the dam wall and manage wave action.
“About 60 holes have been drilled and grout will be forced in through these holes under extreme pressure to fill up any voids in the rock bed below the concrete base of the spillway.
“The first batch of 27 tons of reinforcement has been delivered to site and work can begin on the base on the eastern side, as soon as the pressure grouting has been completed and the rock anchors installed.
"The contractor has also started erecting the concrete formwork for the eastern spillway base,” Edwards-Klose said.
A recent near collision between a motorcyclist and a heavy truck within the restricted area was regarded in a very serious light, she added.
“The public is reminded that unauthorised access to the construction site is strictly prohibited to ensure the safety of the public. Heavy construction vehicles are operating on both the MTO/NMU and George sides of the dam wall.
"The required signage is in place to warn the public that the area is a construction site.”