Knight Piésold Southern Africa Appointed for Polihali Transfer Tunnel Design and Construction Supervision
Knight Piésold Southern Africa Appointed for Polihali Transfer Tunnel Design and Construction Supervision

Knight Piésold Southern Africa Appointed for Polihali Transfer Tunnel Design and Construction Supervision

May 9, 2018, Johannesburg, South AfricaThe Metsi a Senqu-Khubelu Consultants (MSKC) joint venture, consisting of Knight Piésold, Aurecon, Hatch, SMEC, and FM Associates, successfully concluded contract negotiations, with the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LDHA) in December 2017, for the multi-billion Maloti/Rand project called “Design and Construction Supervision of the Polihali Transfer Tunnel.”

This project forms part of Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which is a bi-national water resources project initiative between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa.

A treaty signed between the two governments sets out the development structures that have been designed to include four phases, planned over a 30-year implementation period. The LHWP is expected to ultimately transfer approximately 70 m3/s of water to Gauteng in South Africa.

The project encompasses large-scale infrastructure to harness water resources from the highlands of Lesotho through the construction of a series of dams and tunnels for the mutual benefit of Lesotho and South Africa.

Water from the LHWP is transferred via the Katse Reservoir, through the Transfer Tunnel and Delivery Tunnel, to the Ash River Outfall between Clarens and Bethlehem in South Africa. Water flows from the Ash River into the Liebenbergsvlei, which joins the Wilge River near Frankfort before finally reaching the Vaal Dam in Gauteng. The associated bulk civil infrastructure was completed in Phase I of the LHWP, which was split into Phases 1A and 1B.

Phase II of the LHWP broadly comprises the design and construction of the following major components:

  • Polihali Dam, a concrete faced rockfill dam, located downstream of the confluence of the Senqu (Orange) and Khubelu Rivers in Lesotho
  • An approximately 38.5-km-long Polihali Transfer Tunnel to convey water from Polihali Reservoir to Katse Dam
  • All associated advance infrastructure, including access roads, bridges, construction camps, diversion tunnels at the Polihali dam site, healthcare facilities and programmes, and associated environmental and social studies and programmes.

The Polihali Transfer Tunnel will comprise an intake works at the new Polihali Reservoir, a 5-m-diameter and 38.5-km-long main water transfer tunnel, ventilation and dewatering shafts, and an outlet works at Katse that terminates in a Norwegian-type lake tap that is excavated by blasting inside the Katse Dam impoundment on the eastern flank of the existing reservoir.

The Transfer Tunnel appointment is MSKC’s second appointment on Phase II, with the MSKC also having been appointed for the “Design and Construction Supervision of the Polihali Diversion Tunnels” in September 2016. This was for the design and construction supervision of two diversion tunnels to facilitate river diversion during construction of the Polihali Dam, comprising a 7-m- and 9-m-diameter tunnel with length of 910 m and 960 m, respectively.

Recent News

Mar 19, 2024
Knight Piésold Presents Tailings Best Practice Insights at the First International Symposium on Tailings Facilities in Mexico
Jan 31, 2024
Klamath River Dam Removal Design-Build Reaches Major Milestone
Dec 1, 2023
Knight Piésold Argentina Publishes 2022 Sustainability Report
Nov 16, 2023
Knight Piésold Shares Tailings Management Insights at Tailings and Mine Waste 2023 Conference
Nov 6, 2023
Dr. Violeta Martin and Daniel Adria Discuss Dam Breach Analysis at the 2023 Canadian Dam Association Conference
Oct 6, 2023
Knight Piésold Peru Shows Strong Presence at PERUMIN 36 Mining Convention
Sep 13, 2023
Knight Piésold Southern Africa's Kissandra Bridgmohan Named SAICE Young Technologist of the Year
Aug 25, 2023
Knight Piésold Southern Africa Scoops Lifetime Achievement and Young Engineer Awards at CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards 2023
Aug 9, 2023
Knight Piésold UK Celebrates 10 Years in London
Aug 3, 2023
Knight Piésold Peru Engages with the Mining Community at Expominas 2023 in Ecuador
Jul 31, 2023
Knight Piésold Argentina Certified as a Category I Sustainable Company by the Municipality of Godoy Cruz
Jul 26, 2023
Senior Engineer Scott Rees of Knight Piésold Canada Finishes 30 km Strait of Georgia Swim for Canadian Guide Dogs Fundraiser
Jul 20, 2023
Dr. Zhenhe Song Presents an Integrated Approach to Soil Shear Strength Parameter Selection at Mine Waste and Tailings Conference 2023
Jun 13, 2023
Gustavo Vianna Appointed as Chair of the International Slope Stability Symposium 2024
Apr 14, 2023
Rubén Vargas Gives Insight on Tailings Dam Design and Management at ISEM's XXV International Mining Safety Seminar
Apr 12, 2023
Guillermo Barreda Presents at the Energy Transition Workshop by the British Embassy in Peru
Feb 15, 2023
Knight Piésold Canada Named Among British Columbia's Top Employers for Eleventh Year
Feb 13, 2023
Jeremy Haile Receives Canadian Consulting Engineer's Lifetime Achievement Award
Nov 24, 2022
Knight Piésold has Strong Presence at Tailings and Mine Waste 2022
Nov 7, 2022
Dr. Violeta Martin and Nick Rong Contribute to Dam Safety Technical Learning with the Canadian Dam Association Community