Lonehill Dam

The tranquility of Lonehill Nature Reserve and Park was shattered when the local dam suffered a partial collapse, jeopardizing surrounding infrastructure and public safety. The eroded embankment threatened houses, local wildlife, and the dam’s structural integrity. Traditional repair methods, like extensive concrete reconstruction, were deemed time-consuming, expensive, and potentially disruptive to the surrounding environment. The park is home to herons nesting with chicks in the willow trees, red bishop weavers in the reeds, moorhen on the island, yellow billed ducks swimming and Egyptian geese.

Maccaferri, a global leader in engineered soil reinforcement and slope stabilization, proposed an innovative and resilient approach: a robust gabion structure with Polimac® coating.

This solution offered several key advantages:
✅ Gabions, baskets filled with locally sourced stones, provided a strong and flexible barrier against further erosion.

✅The stones effectively distribute pressure, protecting the embankment from the relentless force of water. In terms of environmental intergration the gabion structure seamlessly integrated with the natural landscape. The stones also act as a habitat for vegetation, promoting natural growth and enhancing the dam’s aesthetic appeal.

✅ Maccaferri’s signature Polimac® coating (a polymer compound that protects the wire from chemical and abrasive attacks) offered unparalleled protection against the harsh South African sun and corrosive elements, maximizing the longevity and structural efficiency of the gabions. Polimac has shown excellent performance by withstanding 100,000 cycles of abrasion in accordance with test method described in EN 60229-8, 10 times better resistance than traditional polymeric coatings. The resultant structure saw the dam’s volume increase and local plant and animal life improve.