Water Supply Case Study: Highlands Water Project, Lesotho, Africa

Question 1

What does the project involve?

Answer 1

Damming some of Lesotho’s major rivers
Creating large artificial lakes
water from lakes diverted to South African rivers which lead to Vaal Dam which supplies densely populated urban and industrial areas around Johannesburg and Pretoria

Question 2

How is it financed?

Answer 2

South Africa pays Lesotho royalties of around $1.5 million a month

Question 3

Benefits for Lesotho

Answer 3

HPE
Promotes general development of remote and underdeveloped mountain regions of Lesotho
Water for irrigation and drinking

Question 4

Why is Lesotho ideal?

Answer 4

Mountainous area with average rainfall of over 1000mm
Water has good chemical quality and low sediment
Deep/steep sided valleys are good for dams
Low earthquake risk

Question 5

Positive impacts of project

Answer 5

Money for government
Around 4000 people get jobs at Katse dam
1000 local people worked at Mohale Dam
Improved infrastructure like tarred roads which allow better communications for village in mountains

Question 6

Negative impacts

Answer 6

Dams threaten important alpine fauna of Lesotho highlands
Reduced flow of river endanger existing species taken away homes land and resources of many people (e.g. Phase 1A took away resourced of 20,000 people)

Question 7

General information

Answer 7

Lesotho is an LEDC isn Southern Africa with an abundance of water
The main objective of the project is to supply South Africa with water