Official name Omatako Dam Opening date 1981 Impounds Omatako River Construction began 1978 | Type of dam Earth fill embankment Height 16 m | |
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Similar Von Bach Dam, Oanob Dam, Friedenau Dam, Naute Dam, Goreangab Dam | ||
Omatako Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Okahandja in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. Is is named after the Omatako Mountains, and it dams the ephemeral Omatako River, with Omatako meaning "butt" in Oshiwambo, and the name referring to the shape of the Omatako Mountains. The dam has a capacity of 43.49 million cubic metres (56,880,000 cu yd).
Completed in 1981, it was originally envisaged to become part of the Eastern National Water Carrier, a scheme to supply water to Namibia's capital Windhoek from the Okavango River, 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) to the north on the Angolan border. The scheme was never completed. Omatako Dam today only contains floods and supplies water to the Von Bach Dam. As such it is one of three dams supplying the capital Windhoek with water.