Dam Safety Panel of Experts on a two-day field Mission to Thwake Dam

Wote, Makueni, Thursday, June 16, 2022

Members of the Dam Safety Panel of Experts (DSPEs) recently carried out an on-site physical site inspection tour of Thwake Multipurpose Dam on a key field mission.
The visit, which took place on June 13-15, 2022 was basically meant to appraise the experts on the ongoing works. The mission later met the Water Secretary Eng. Samuel Alima, who is also the Project Engineer, where in-depth discussions on the dam safety and ongoing works were carried out.
The site Mission included Mr Robin Peterson and Ioannis Karavokyris, while the DSPE Team Leader and chairperson Ms. Ljiljana Spasic-Gril, joined the tour virtually.
In attendance were the Program Coordinator (PIT) Eng. David Onyango who was accompanied by a section of PIT members, Senior Resident Engineer Pius Musis, Dam Engineer Branko Pavlovic and representatives from the Contractor, Consultant and a section of staff.
The DSPEs mandate was to carry out an independent inspection of the dam as per international Guidelines for Dam Safety Inspection.
With a comprehensive review of all data related to the dam, the experts are expected to make a thorough in-depth evaluations based on on-site examination and arrive at logical conclusions and recommendations to the government to ensure all safety issues related to Thwake Multipurpose Dam are adequately addressed.
Membership of Thwake Dam DSPE boasts of key international experts with experience in diverse areas such as hydrology, dam engineering design and construction, geology and geotechnical expertise.
The Team Leader, Ms. Ljiljana Spasic-Gril has 40 years’ experience in the feasibility, design, dam safety assessment, construction and commissioning of dams and reservoirs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central, South and East Asia, Australia, North and South America.
She has worked on around 400 dam projects in over 56 countries with extensive experience on dam safety projects worldwide and has been involved in dam safety projects in the UK (8 dams), Sri Lanka (30 dams), Russia (one dam), Armenia (65 dams), Georgia (6 dams), Ethiopia, Vietnam (450 dams) and Central Asia (over 30 dams).
Ljiljana who was also appointed as a Dam Expert to UNESCO World Heritage, is the author of 18 papers.
Peterson is a renown international geotechnical specialist with experience in geological conditions of the foundation of the dam site, associated structures, and reservoir, abutment, tunneling and rock slope stabilization.
Ioannis is a leading international hydrologist with experience in hydrological and sedimentation assessment, sedimentation management plan, flood control, inflow design.
The dam, considered as a key pillar in Big 4 agenda and Vision 2030 flagship and which is at its first phase, will have other critical components such as hydropower development, water supply and sanitation and irrigation.
The Government of Kenya (GoK) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation are jointly funding the first phase of this mega project expected to benefit at least 1.3 residents drawn from rural parts of Makueni, Kitui and parts of Machakos counties.