The Omdel State Water Scheme provided for the construction of a 40 Mm3, 33 m high earth embankment dam in the Omaruru River, some 33 km inland from Henties Bay, with the intention of channelling water into spreading grounds above a major aquifer for temporary storage, from where it could later be abstracted and pumped to Swakopmund and the Rossing Uranium Mine. The design of the dam was carried out by the Department of Water Affairs of Namibia, under the guidance of Chunnet Fourie & Partners of Pretoria, South Africa. LCE were appointed to design the abstraction tower, consisting of eight, 900 mm diameter outlets located at 4 levels, a 1,200 mm diameter steel collector pipeline feeding water into an open channel which lead to the spreading grounds located above the aquifer and the spillway. LCE’s services included liaison between the Client and Chunnet Fourie & Partners, the abovementioned design work as well as the associated construction supervision.
Location: Near Henties Bay in the Central Namib Area
Completion: 1991