Park

Naute is one of Namibia’s largest man-made lakes. Its shoreline, abutting long stretches of rocky plains and intricate sections of small bays, is very attractive The dam location on the Löwen River was already identified by German engineers over a century ago, yet construction of the reservoir only took place 70 years later. The dam was created as a reliable source of water for the nearby town of Keetmanshoop, and to enable an agricultural scheme adjacent to the reservoir.

The lake creates an ideal focal point for a game park, although this was only proclaimed just prior to independence. Thirty years on, its tourism potential remains untapped, overlooked in the vastness of the ‘forgotten South’. Discussions around a tourism concession with the neighbouring !Gawachab Conservancy may gain momentum in the future. For now, Naute is still worth a brief stop-over visit while travelling between Keetmanshoop and the Fish River Canyon.

Travel Tips

WHEN TO BE THERE:

Visitor access is restricted to the recreation area; this is open all year
Day temperatures can be very hot during summer
Fishing competitions are held intermittently & the recreation area is a weekend retreat for locals
The game park is currently not open to visitors

WHAT TO DO:

Stop at the lake for a refreshing break on your travels
Enjoy a short walk & some good birding
Do a spot fishing along the shore
Visit the nearby agricultural scheme

WHAT TO REMEMBER:

Access is restricted to the small recreation area
A permit is required for fishing, obtainable at the Karas Regional Council in Keetmanshoop
There are no amenities at the dam
Do not litter, take all rubbish with you

African Palm-Swift

History

Water is one of the fundamental forces of nature. Harnessing that power comes with risks. In an arid land, the line between not having enough and having too much water is quickly crossed by flash floods. Much of Mariental was suddenly waist-deep in muddy brown water in 2006, when an already full Hardap Dam couldn’t cope with massive additional inflow.

‘The Great Fish River and its tributaries cover an immense area especially favourable for the construction of large dams. Systematic harnessing of this river alone will facilitate the irrigation of vast stretches of arable land.’ The sentiment of this assessment by the German administration over a century ago still fuels imaginations today. The Neckartal Dam on the lower Fish River, completed in 2018, is Namibia’s largest storage dam.

During their 30-year tenure, the Germans systematically surveyed hydrological potential across their colony and identified several sites for dams along the Fish River, including Neckartal and Hardap. Construction was approved at the Komatsas site near Hardap, but this was thwarted by World War I. An intensive review by the South African administration from 1949 to ’59 selected the final site on Farm Hardap, and the dam was built between 1960 and ’62. At the time of its completion, Hardap was the third-largest storage dam in southern Africa, and remained Namibia’s largest dam for over half a century. It supplies water to Mariental, as well as for agriculture and aquaculture near the dam. Extreme downpours in the upper catchment have repeatedly caused extensive flooding of Mariental, as sluice gates had to be fully opened to cope with massive inflow. The flooding of 2006 was the worst recorded. Serious flooding also took place in 2000, and several times during the 1970s.

The Fish River has been a focal point for people for millennia, shown by striking rock engravings and other artefacts. San, Nama and Oorlam used the area prior to the arrival of Europeans. By the late 1700s, European hunting expeditions were decimating wildlife across the region. During a 1791 quest by Willem van Reenen and consorts, rhino, giraffe and buffalo were shot as food along the Leber River, a tributary of the Fish originating near Hardap. In the course of nine months, they shot 65 rhinos. When the Germans occupied South West Africa a century later, the land around Mariental was developed as private farmland, mainly for small stock.

Hardap is named after the farm Hardap on which the dam was constructed. The farm name is derived from the Nama word /haras, which means wart and refers to the many wart-like hills or kopjes found in the area.

Activities

Conservations

The Hardap Game Park is a by-product of the dam, rather than a strategic conservation choice. A recreation resort was opened in 1964, and the game park was proclaimed in ‘68 after the amalgamation of farmland around the dam. Leisure and water sports remain the biggest drawcard, although a variety of historically occurring game has been reintroduced, most notably black rhino. Giraffe were brought back and are doing well, and the populations of some antelope species have been boosted by targeted translocations. Regular bird counts document the importance of Hardap as a bird sanctuary and breeding site, especially for pelicans and cormorants. The Fish and Pelican Reserve, where no boating is allowed, is important for successful nesting. Introduced fish create a conservation dilemma, as they easily spread throughout the river system, including the Orange. Mozambique tilapia, carp and largemouth bass were all introduced to increase the popularity of the dam for anglers and to improve commercial fishing viability.

The Hardap Irrigation Scheme, with several thousand hectares under irrigation, is an important producer of lucerne, maize, wheat, grapes and other crops. The Hardap Freshwater Fish Institute is a vital centre for research, while the Hardap Inland Aquaculture Centre, consisting of almost two hectares of fish ponds, is one of the main freshwater aquaculture sites in Namibia. Beyond these schemes, Hardap is surrounded by freehold land with a focus on livestock farming and tourism.

Management of Hardap involves several agencies. The park falls under the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the fish stocks under the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, and the dam infrastructure and water provision under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.

Map

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Naute Game Park

In a way itâ€™s refreshing when a wonderful little sanctuary remains beyond our hunger for leisure destinations. While Nauteâ€™s tourism potential remains unrealised, the game park does fulfil its conservation function.