Katse Dam in the Malibamat'so River, Lesotho has a capacity of 1 950 million cubic metres. It however has a dead storage of about 430 million cubic metres, leaving an effective live storage of 1520 million cubic metres.

Opened in 1996 with a wall length of 710 m and a height of 185 m, it is Africa's second largest double curvature dam. The dam lies 1993 meters above sea level, making it the highest in Africa. This allows a gravity flow delivery system to South Africa, in addition to hydroelectric power for Lesotho, and was a prime reason for the choice of site.

The Lesotho Highlands, with its high rainfall and hard surface area of high basalt Maluti mountains is the ideal catchment area. Katse, the first completed dam in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, captures the excess water from the Orange/Senqu River catchment and transfers it to the Vaal River system. T

he dam currently supplies about 30 cubic metres per second of water to South Africa and water from the scheme has also been discharged into the Mohokare (Caledon) river to provide water to Maseru when required.

GENERAL:
Locals will tell you that from Katse Dam to the top of Sani Pass, it will take you 2.5 hours - but be prepared for about 5 to 6 hours. It is very scenic with lots of passes (steep climbs) and curves.

ROAD CONIDITIONS:
Road works should be finished by now and the roads should be tarred almost all the way from St James School to the top of Sani Pass. (March 2015).

“Katse Dam in the Malibamatso River, Lesotho, is the second highest (185metres) concrete arch dam in Africa. (The Tekezé Dam in Ethiopia, finished in 2009, is now the highest (188 metres)” - Chris Smit, 2010/08/01

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