Spioenkop Dam impounds the Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal. It is located within a nature reserve by the same name. The dam was commissioned in 1972, has a capacity of 272,265 cubic metres (9,614,900 cu ft), and a surface area of 15.314 square kilometres (5.913 sq mi), the dam wall is 53 metres (174 ft) high.