Midmar Dam

Midmar Dam
Midmar Dam
Official name	Midmar Dam
Location	KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Coordinates	29°30′S 30°11′E / 29.5°S 30.183°E / -29.5; 30.183
Opening date	1965
Dam and spillways
Height	32 metres (105 ft)
Length	1,338 metres (4,390 ft)
Impounds	Mngeni River[1]
Reservoir
Creates	Midmar Dam Reservoir
Capacity	235,400 megalitres (235.4 hm³)[2]
Surface area	1,564 hectares (3,860 acres)
Midmar Dam

Midmar Dam is a dam and recreation area near Pietermaritzburg (near Howick), South Africa. Boating, swimming, waterskiing, picnicing, and fishing are popular pastimes at Midmar Dam. Each year, the Midmar Mile swimming race is held there, which organizers call "the world's largest open water swimming event". Over 20,000 entries were received for the 2009 event. Midmar Dam is located in the Midlands of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Morgenzon has camping and caravanning sites, both powered and non-powered, and Eikedal and Blackhurst Peninsula (start of the Midmar Mile) are both stunning picnic area. The dam also hosts a yacht club, and lock up storage facilities for boats. There are both chalets and log cabins at the dam too.

No matter what time of year one visits the dam, it is essential to have clothing/gear for both hot and cold weather - the weather changes are rapid, and do not always correspond with the weather in the surrounding area.

Midmar Dam is easily accessible from the N3 motorway.

See also

• List of reservoirs and dams in South Africa
• List of rivers of South Africa
• Mngeni River
• Midmar Mile

References

1. ^ "Quantification of factors affecting coagulation of water with cationic polymers and laboratory methods for determining these effects.". Foundation for Water Research. 2004-01. http://www.fwr.org/wrcsa/1225104.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
2. ^ "uMGUNGUNDLOVU IDP - PHASE ONE: PART 3 - ANALYSIS REPORT". KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government. http://devplan.kzntl.gov.za/Municipal/IDPs/uMgungundlovu/Phase%201%20Analysis/uM%20-%20Part%203%20Environment%20SQ%207.doc. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 

External links

Coordinates: 29°30′S 30°11′E / 29.5°S 30.183°E / -29.5; 30.183