Emmarentia Dam
Posted by: 
TeamTGF
S 26° 09.116 E 028° 00.304
35J E 600458 N 7107101
One of the most beautiful locations around Johannesburg.
Waymark Code: WM1748
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Date Posted: 02/07/2007
Views: 131
The land on which the Botanic Garden is situated used to be part of the farm Braamfontein which dates back to 1853. Then in 1886, a farmer Lourens Geldenhuis, purchased a portion of farm Braamfontein and named it after Emmarentia, whom he married in 1887.
At the end of the South African War, in 1902, when many landless farmers returned home, Geldenhuis offered them employment to build the seven and a half-hectare Emmarentia Dam. White labour was used, and great blocks of stone were brought down from Melville Koppies which were then fitted together to construct the wall that banks up water to the depth of 20 metres at the centre of the dam. The wall was built almost perpendicular and has been equal to any flood. Men were chosen from those who worked well on the dam wall, for a farm sharing experiment which Mr Geldenhuis initiated on his farm. The dam is fed by the Westdene spruit the catchment of which stretches as far as the suburb of Westdene south of the dam. In earlier times a furrow from the stream beside Parkview golf course also led water to the dam. Today this furrow no longer exists but the stormwater drains from the surrounding roads also feed the dam.
The dam and an area of land to the west of the dam formed an endowment from Geldenhuis to the city council for park and garden purposes. In 1952, the area was named Jan van Riebeeck Park in celebration of the tri-centenary of Van Riebeeck's historic landing at the Cape. Then in 1969, a resolution was passed for the building of the Johannesburg Botanic Garden on this land.
Waterway where the dam is located: Westdene spruit
Main use of the Water Dam: Recreation Area
Material used in the structure: masonry
Height of Dam: 1600m
Date built: 04/01/1902
Fishing Allowed: yes
Motor Sports Allowed: no
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Visit Instructions:
Photo of the Dam and a description of your visit.