Hartbeespoort Dam - Virtual Reward 2.0 Virtual Cache

The following was taken and adapted from the information board on the dam wall:

Planning to build started in 1902, but was interrupted in 1910 by the union and then again between 1914-1918 by the First World War. Between 1921-1923 construction proceeded by use of manual labour and the labourers were paid 35 cents per day (see reference point 1 for the grave yard of the workers). The 700 km length channels, which irrigates 16 200 HA, were completed in 1930. The crest gates were erected in 1970, which doubled the water volume.

The following Latin inscriptions are on the arch:

"DEDI IN DESERTO AQUAS FLUMINA IN INVIO" - (For I shall pour down rain on thirsty land, showers on dry ground. (Isaiah 44:3)

"SINE AQUA ARIDA AC MISERA AGRI CULTURA. (VARO DE RE RUSTICA)" - (Without water agriculture is dry and miserable)

• Feeding rivers: Crocodile, Magalies, Hennops and Jukskei
• Volume: 195 million m3
• Depth: 45m
• Area: 2 062 HA
• Shoreline: 56 KM
• Wall: 59m high, 22m wide, 101m long, 68 00m3 concrete used for wall construction (250 000 bags of cement).
• Catchment area: 4 112 square kilometers (Johannesburg to Krugersdorp).
• Type of dam: Arch dam

• Interesting documents related to the construction of the dam and the water schema can be found at the Water and Environment website by following the following link: Harties Department of Water Affiars

Seen in the picture above, right middle of picture, you can see that there is a "fault block in the Magaliesberg Formation" where the Magaliesberg formation was shifted by a geological processes. This Fault resulted in a "tear" in the Magaliesberg mountain range. This unique feature contributed to the selection of this area where a dam could be constructed.

• A Cableway
• The Dam itself
• A Coffee Cafe
• A Cheese Farm
• Shopping and entertainment venues
• Bars and Restaurants
• Markets
• Animal sanctuaries
• Ballooning and paragliding
• Cradle of Humankind, one of South Africa’s 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Hiking Trails
• Canopy Tour

1) Post a photo of yourself (no face required) with any of the features mentioned in the cache description.

2) (Location question) How many crest gates are on the dam wall?

3) (Listing question) According to the "Simplified geological map", what rock type is in the fault block of the Hartebeestpoort dam?

This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.

References:

http://www.dwa.gov.za/Harties/dam.asp

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Simplified-geological-map-of-the-area-surrounding-the-Pilanesberg-Complex-H_fig1_301978564