Woodhead dam and tunnel

Dam above Cape Town city

The Woodhead Tunnel, which is 640-metres long was constructed between 1888 and 1891. It connects Orange Kloof and Slangholie Ravine on Table Mountain. The tunnel was built to divert the Disa Stream, a tributary of the Hout Bay River, to supply water to the Molteno reservoir. in Oranjezicht.

By 1870, Cape Town’s rapid growth necessitated new water infrastructure. Scottish engineer Thomas Stewart was hired to design the project. To meet the demand, the Woodhead Dam was built between 1894 and 1897. A temporary cableway transported men and materials to the site, but before its completion, long lines of porters carried supplies up Kasteelspoort Ravine.

The tunnel was an impressive engineering feat for its time. Workers had to cut through the tough rock of Table Mountain, creating a tunnel that would work as part of the city’s larger water system. It was an important step in the city’s efforts to manage water resources effectively.
The Woodhead Tunnel helped address the water shortages Cape Town faced in the late 1800s.
Today, parts of the tunnel remain, particularly in the Orange Kloof area, but the other end at Slangholie Ravine has been blocked for safety reasons.
While the tunnel is no longer in use, it remains an important part of Cape Town’s history. It shows how  the city solved water challenges during a time of rapid urbanization and growth

Over time, additional dams were built:

  • The Hely-Hutchinson Dam (1904), upstream of Woodhead.
  • Alexandra and Victoria Dams (1903) on the Disa Stream.
  • De Villiers Dam (1907), downstream of the earlier dams.

While the Woodhead Tunnel is abandoned, its entrance at Orange Kloof is accessible to the public, providing a glimpse into Cape Town’s water history.

Today, these dams supply less than 1% of Cape Town’s water but remain popular hiking destinations. Trails like Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge from Constantia Nek offer scenic routes to explore the area. The trails are well signposted. See other trails

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