Bethulie - Hendrik Verwoerd Dam

Southwest of Bethulie is the Hendrik Verwoerd Dam, an artificial lake over 100km/62mi long, with an area of 374sq.km/144sq.mi, which was created in 1971 by the damming of the Orange River. The fourth largest artificial lake in Africa, with a dam 90m/300ft high and a maximum capacity of 5958 million cubic meters (1314 billion gallons), it is part of the Orange River Project, a large and complex irrigation scheme for the distribution of water from the river. In 1975 the 82.5km/51mi long Orange River Fish Tunnel was opened. The world's longest water tunnel, with a diameter of 5.35m/17.5ft, it conveys water from the Hendrik Verwoerd Dam into the valley of the Fish River and thus ensures an adequate water supply for Port Elizabeth. The lake offers excellent facilities for water sports.