resulted in a number of court cases involving both individuals and multinational corporations. Project features Below is an overview of the main features of the first three phases of the project. Phase I Phase of the project comprises all the essential components to impound water in the Katse Dam, generate electricity and deliver water to the Vaal River System. Phase I has been carefully configured so that Katse Dam remains the common link to further phases identified during feasibility studies. In line with the phased approach, Phase I consists of Phase IA comprising the essential components, and Phase IB which enhances the yield of the project with the addition of two peripheral sources namely the Mohale Dam and the Matsoku Weir. Phase IA This phase of the project was completed in 1998. It consisted mainly of the construction of the Katse Dam on the Malibamat'so River in Lesotho. A transfer tunnel was built from the Katse Dam to the Muela Reservoir. The Muela Reservoir is considered to be the tail pond, which supplies hydroelectric power for Lesotho. Stemming from the Muela Reservoir is a delivery tunnel to the outfall at the As River from where water flows to the Vaal Dam. Although the Katse Dam has power generation capability for local use, the primary purpose is as the storage reservoir for Phase IA, and to provide discharge into the transfer tunnel. To mitigate loss of habitat, the Katse Botanical Gardens was established to house plants that were rescued from the area to be flooded. Phase IB This phase of the project was completed in 2002. It consisted mainly of the construction of: The Mohale Dam, a very large rockfill dam, located on the Senqunyane River; A transfer tunnel between the Mohale Dam and the Katse Dam; Construction of the Matsoku Diversion Weir; A tunnel from the Matsoku Diversion Weir to the Katse Dam. The system is interconnected in such a way that water may be transferred in either direction for storage in Mohale or ultimate transfer to South Africa through the Katse reservoir. Phase II In 2005, an agreement between the Governments of South Africa and Lesotho was signed to proceed with feasibility studies; In 2006, the feasibility study was commenced and completed in late 2008; The agreement to implement Phase II was signed in Maseru on 11 August 2011; The launch of Phase II construction took place at Tlokoeng