and 60 years later…tokwe-mukosi roars into life

Upstream . . . A 40-cm impervious concrete membrane prevents water from seeping through the dam wall Downstream . . . The rock-fill method used in the construction of Tokwe-Mukosi is the first of its kind in the country You are here: Home / EXTRA, Local News, Photos, Top Stories AND 60 years later…Tokwe-Mukosi roars into life by garikai mazara | Sunday, Feb 8, 2015 | 6261 views The construction of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam (an adulteration of Tugwi and Mukosi) has, for a variety of reasons, been on the drawing board for years since the idea was mooted in 1955. The Rhodesians then were on a “green revolution” of the country, which saw them build dams like Kyle (now Mutirikwi), McIlwaine (Chivero), after the completion of Lake Kariba. Tokwe-Mukosi, sited on the confluence of the Tugwi and Mukosi rivers, was meant to be life-changing in that it was to be the biggest inland water reservoir in the country. But a number of factors, from the unilateral declaration of independence by Ian Smith, which saw Zimbabwe embark on a protracted war of liberation till 1980, to the fall of the local currency against major currencies in 1998, meant that the work on the dam has been protracted since then. Now sitting on 90 percent completion, with its completion and commissioning earmarked for this year, Tokwe-Mukosi is likely to change the face of the environs within which it sits. The primary function of the dam is to supply water for irrigation purposes, with potential to irrigate 25 000 hectares of sugar cane. To put into context how Tokwe-Mukosi is likely to change the face of southern Masvingo, the Triangle sugar estates, which lie roughly 50 kilometres to the north-east, has 30 000 hectares of sugar under irrigation. For more Pictures visit the Sunday Mail Visual News on Flickr Besides sugar cane, the other option would be to put in place a citrus plantation, which the weather conditions in the Lowveld favour. But such a massive body of water, with a full supply capacity of 1,8 billion mega-litres of water, which makes it the biggest inland water reservoir in the country, would be put to waste if it is confined to irrigation only. Paul Dengu, the resident engineer of the dam, said there are several other options that the dam can be put to profitable use. “For instance, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management can embark on eco-tourism projects and/or establish fisheries. “Funding permitting, the Government can add a facility to generate power, of which a provision has already been made on the construction of the dam, if such a decision is to be made. The dam has a capacity to generate up to 15 megawatts of electricity,” explained Eng Dengu. The first of its kind in the country, in that it is a concrete-faced rockfill dam, the dam wall will sit at a height of 89,2 metres from the river bed on completion. In comparison, Karigamombe Building in Harare, at 20 floors high, stands 92 metres above the ground. That is a difference of only 2,8 metres with the maximum height of the dam. Explaining the rockfill structure, Eng Dengu said most of the dams in the country, for example, Chivero and Osbourne, are earth-fill dams. “But just the same manner in which the Great Zimbabwe was built, Tokwe-Mukosi Dam used rock, Connect with The Sunday Mail Sunday Mail Photo Gallery Sunday Mail Audio Online Listen to exclusive audio interviews the Sunday Mail team SCOOPS up. by Su EXCL … … 54258 0 0 0 Like Us Find us on Facebook Sunday Mail Zimbabwe 38,922 people like Sunday Mail Zimbabwe. Facebook social plugin Like Like Recent Posts Contact Advertise Bloggers » Zimpapers LTD Newspapers » Home Top Stories Local News » Sports Opinion & Analysis » Business Leisure » Religion EXTRA Comment World Photos View the original image on Flickr AND 60 years later…Tokwe-Mukosi roars into life - The Sunday Mail http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/?p=24853 1 of 4 4/7/2015 9:13 AM

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Upstream . . . A 40-cm impervious concrete membrane prevents water from seepingthrough the dam wall

Downstream . . . The rock-fill method used in the construction of Tokwe-Mukosi is the firstof its kind in the country

You are here: Home / EXTRA, Local News, Photos, Top Stories

AND 60 years laterTokwe-Mukosi roars into lifeby garikai mazara | Sunday, Feb 8, 2015 | 6261 views

The construction of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam (an adulteration of Tugwi and Mukosi) has, for a variety of reasons, been on thedrawing board for years since the idea was mooted in 1955.

The Rhodesians then were on a green revolution of the country, which saw them build dams like Kyle (now Mutirikwi),McIlwaine (Chivero), after the completion of Lake Kariba.

Tokwe-Mukosi, sited on the confluence of the Tugwi and Mukosi rivers, was meant to be life-changing in that it was to bethe biggest inland water reservoir in the country. But a number of factors, from the unilateral declaration of independenceby Ian Smith, which saw Zimbabwe embark on a protracted war of liberation till 1980, to the fall of the local currencyagainst major currencies in 1998, meant that the work on the dam has been protracted since then.

Now sitting on 90 percent completion, with its completion and commissioning earmarked for this year, Tokwe-Mukosi islikely to change the face of the environs within which it sits.

The primary function of the dam is to supply water for irrigation purposes, with potential to irrigate 25 000 hectares ofsugar cane. To put into context how Tokwe-Mukosi is likely to change the face of southern Masvingo, the Triangle sugarestates, which lie roughly 50 kilometres to the north-east, has 30 000 hectares of sugar under irrigation.

For more Pictures visit the Sunday Mail Visual News on Flickr

Besides sugar cane, the other option would be to put in place a citrus plantation, which the weather conditions in theLowveld favour.

But such a massive body of water, with a full supply capacity of 1,8 billion mega-litres of water, which makes it the biggestinland water reservoir in the country, would be put to waste if it is confined to irrigation only.

Paul Dengu, the resident engineer of the dam, said there are several other options that the dam can be put to profitableuse.

For instance, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management can embark on eco-tourism projects and/orestablish fisheries.

Funding permitting, the Government can add a facility to generate power, of which a provision has already been madeon the construction of the dam, if such a decision is to be made. The dam has a capacity to generate up to 15 megawattsof electricity, explained Eng Dengu.

The first of its kind in the country, in that it is a concrete-faced rockfill dam, the dam wall will sit at a height of 89,2 metresfrom the river bed on completion.

In comparison, Karigamombe Building in Harare, at 20 floors high, stands 92 metres above the ground. That is adifference of only 2,8 metres with the maximum height of the dam.

Explaining the rockfill structure, Eng Dengu said most of the dams in the country, for example, Chivero and Osbourne,are earth-fill dams. But just the same manner in which the Great Zimbabwe was built, Tokwe-Mukosi Dam used rock,

Connect with The Sunday Mail

Sunday Mail Photo Gallery

Sunday Mail Audio Online

Listen to exclusive audio interviews the SundayMail team SCOOPS up.

by Su

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Home Top Stories Local News Sports Opinion & Analysis Business Leisure Religion EXTRA Comment World Photos

View the original image on Flickr

AND 60 years laterTokwe-Mukosi roars into life - The Sunday Mail http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/?p=24853

1 of 4 4/7/2015 9:13 AM