Name of the Work: Ndue and Calucuve Dams

Location of Work: Cunene province, Caundo river and Cuvelai river basin

Description of what it is and what it aims to achieve: These two structuring projects are part of the Programme to Combat the Effects of Drought in Southern Angola (PCESSA), with a view to reducing water scarcity in the Cuvelai basin, supplying water to the population and livestock, guaranteeing food security, promoting the strengthening of agriculture, as well as boosting tourist activities and encouraging the restoration of public facilities.

The Ndue Dam, located on the Caundo River, has 9,200 hectares of irrigated area, with a reservoir of 2,000 hectares to store 170 million cubic metres of water. Work is progressing at a fast pace, with physical execution at around 68 per cent. It is a 26 metre high earth dam, with a 75 km network of adductor canals. It is scheduled for completion in September this year, with more than 500 workers involved.

The Calucuve Dam, on the other hand, is around 35 per cent complete. At the moment the diversion gallery is in its final phase, as well as the unloading of the surface part and the completion of the pollination curtains. The water retention basin has a capacity of 141,000 cubic metres of water, a height of 24 metres and a length of 2,200 metres. It is associated with a network of canals, 111 km long, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, with around 600 workers.

Cost of Work: approximately 177 million dollars.

Contractor: Consortium of Omatapalo and MotaEngil.