Naute irrigation scheme under water
Two pipes that supply water to the scheme were damaged, and will cost thousands of dollars to repair.
NAMPA
WINDHOEK
Some parts of the Naute irrigation scheme were left under water after the sluices of the Naute Dam were opened to reduce water levels, which stood at 116% on Tuesday after heavy rains were received.
The dam is located 40 kilometres south of Keetmanshoop and has a capacity of 69 million cubic metres. It, amongst others, supplies the Naute irrigation scheme and Al Dahra agricultural project with water.
NamWater opened all four sluices of the dam on Tuesday.
Simon Akwenye, the Naute irrigation scheme project manager, said the two pipes that supply water to the scheme were damaged, set to cost thousands of dollars to repair.
“These are not just ordinary pipes and we are struggling to establish where we can source them from, but in the meantime, we are engaging NamWater to see if they can help us in sourcing the water from the dam. That should be done soon otherwise the trees will suffer and the losses will be in the millions,” he said.
Trees uprooted
Akwenye added 15 date palm trees were uprooted while at least 60 hectares of the land where the trees are planted flooded, becoming inaccessible.
“We will have to wait until it is dry for us to really have a clear picture of the loss. We’ll have to check if we will be able to re-plant those trees that were uprooted. Of course, the cost will be very high and not only the finances but the human resource aspect too. It means we have to put in overtime and all that,” he said.
When Nampa visited the Al Dahra irrigation scheme, where grapes and dates are cultivated, officials said the floods destroyed at least 15 hectares of their vineyards. By Wednesday, they had not yet determined how their plantations had been affected as they could not access the area, which was still under water.
WINDHOEK
Some parts of the Naute irrigation scheme were left under water after the sluices of the Naute Dam were opened to reduce water levels, which stood at 116% on Tuesday after heavy rains were received.
The dam is located 40 kilometres south of Keetmanshoop and has a capacity of 69 million cubic metres. It, amongst others, supplies the Naute irrigation scheme and Al Dahra agricultural project with water.
NamWater opened all four sluices of the dam on Tuesday.
Simon Akwenye, the Naute irrigation scheme project manager, said the two pipes that supply water to the scheme were damaged, set to cost thousands of dollars to repair.
“These are not just ordinary pipes and we are struggling to establish where we can source them from, but in the meantime, we are engaging NamWater to see if they can help us in sourcing the water from the dam. That should be done soon otherwise the trees will suffer and the losses will be in the millions,” he said.
Trees uprooted
Akwenye added 15 date palm trees were uprooted while at least 60 hectares of the land where the trees are planted flooded, becoming inaccessible.
“We will have to wait until it is dry for us to really have a clear picture of the loss. We’ll have to check if we will be able to re-plant those trees that were uprooted. Of course, the cost will be very high and not only the finances but the human resource aspect too. It means we have to put in overtime and all that,” he said.
When Nampa visited the Al Dahra irrigation scheme, where grapes and dates are cultivated, officials said the floods destroyed at least 15 hectares of their vineyards. By Wednesday, they had not yet determined how their plantations had been affected as they could not access the area, which was still under water.
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