Lesotho, South Africa – The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) has selected the Mohale Dam in Lesotho, South Africa, as its Most Outstanding Civil Engineering Project for 2002 and 2003 in the International projects category. According to the SAICE judges, the project was selected for its exceptional demonstration of the ‘art and science of civil engineering.’
The Mohale Dam, part of the bi-national multi-purpose Lesotho Highlands Water Project, is located on the Senqunyane River 100 km in Central Lesotho, South Africa. Designed and construction supervised by the Mohale Consultant Group (MCG), a joint venture team that includes MWH, the Mohale Dam diverts water from the Senqunyane River through the Mohale Tunnel to the Katse reservoir. It is the highest concrete-faced rockfill dam on the African continent, at a height of 145 meters, and creates a 958 million cubic meter capacity reservoir. MWH served as the Mohale Dam design team leader and as the principal dam designer. The project was completed on time and $5 million under budget.
Begun in 1986 with a scheduled completion in 2027, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project is one of the most comprehensive engineering projects in the world. Initiated by the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa, the goal is to divert up to 40% of the Senqunyane River through an extensive tunnel network and thereby generate hydropower for Lesotho and provide much needed water to the Republic of South Africa. Phase 1 of the proposed four-phase effort included the construction of the Mohale Dam, the Katse Dam as well as associated tunnels and diversion weirs. Project go-ahead on the follow-up phases is currently under negotiation. In the same awards competition, the SAICE named the Lesotho Highlands Water Project as its Project of the Century.
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Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The company provides water, wastewater, energy, natural resource, program management, consulting and construction services to industrial, municipal and government clients in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For more information about MWH, please visit the company’s Web site at www.mwhglobal.com.
