Orion Devonshire Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa

Course Completion Report: Groundwater Management within River Basins Orion Devonshire Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa. 18 – 22 July 2011.

Submitted to WaterNet and Cap-Net

Submitted by Dr. M S Magombeyi

Name of the Course Groundwater Management within River Basins Course Funding WaterNet / Cap-Net Date / Venue 18 – 22 July 2011. University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Host Institution Name Department of Civil Engineering, University of Witwatersrand. Country South Africa. Local Organizers Prof A.E Taigbenu and Dr Manuel Magombeyi.

Introduction

WaterNet and AGW-Net are both affiliates of CapNet, and have been promoting sustainable regional and international development through course trainings and carrying out other capacity building activities in context of CapNet objectives and guidelines. WaterNet is the lead organization in SADC that delivers training in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), while AGW-Net focuses specifically on developing capacity in Groundwater Management. The University of Witwatersrand is one of the leading universities in Africa, and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering has a strong focus on water resources engineering and management. As one of the joint efforts by the above institutions towards groundwater management within basins, they conducted the first regional training course in Groundwater management within river basins in Johannesburg from 18 to 22 July 2011. The training course was attended by seventeen participants from African countries, coming from central and local governments, catchment councils and private sector. These countries include Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Among the seventeen participants, four were female (see the group photo, Figure 1).

This report is the output of the five-day training on Groundwater management within river basins. The touches on the following: (1) record all processes and tools used in the training and record new experiences gained during the training, (2) collect suggestions and recommendations from the participants so that the package can be improved for future trainings and (3) assess the effectiveness of the course training based on the responses and learning level evaluation of the participants.

Figure 1. Group photo in the field During the presentations One of the group discussions

Course Background The management of water resources worldwide is considered most appropriate at catchment and sub catchment scale because these form the natural boundaries for the physical resource and for the water balance. River Basin Organizations (RBOs) are being formed as a response to this new management paradigm, especially in

1 transboundary / trans-border settings. Groundwater management is often under-represented in RBO’s, both because the resource is not well quantified and because aquifer basins may extend beyond the boundaries of the surface catchment. The result is that groundwater that makes up 95% of available global fresh water resources is often either mismanaged or more frequently not managed at all, especially in developing countries. This management approach undermines the very core of the catchment management philosophy and its practice that insists on system level management of the hydrological cycle. The integration of groundwater management into surface water management structures is considered key in the optimum water resources management and successful application of IWRM principles in practice. Without such integration, it is anticipated that groundwater will lie outside any formal management structures and thus be subject to over abstraction, pollution and other detrimental impacts without any legal protection.

Aim of the Course Hence, the new course, “Groundwater Management within River Basins” aimed to provide capacity building in understanding some basic tools for assessing the role of groundwater within a river basin and the nature, volume and timing of the fluxes between surface water and groundwater. Furthermore, the course explored and sensitized participants from RBOs of the benefits, management opportunities and challenges of integrating groundwater management into the river basin management paradigm. To achieve these aims, the course objectives set were: (a) to provide a platform for sharing best practices for knowledge transfer, skill development and learning from country experiences among the participants; (b) to identify key interaction points where groundwater and surface water management intersect; (c) identify the benefits of conjunctive use and unitary management of catchment water resources; (d) to provide specific tools and skills for integrated water management within catchments; and (e) to maximize learning potential gained on sustainable regional development by being located in South Africa.

Teaching Approach, Module Contents and Lessons Learned Teaching Approach The course was presented by regional and international facilitators (Dr Richard Owen from AgNET, Prof T Abiye and Dr M Magombeyi from University of the Witwatersrand, Dr J-M Kileshe-Onema and Ms R Chioreso from Waternet) with a strong focus on participant exercises and interactive learning. There was a combination of short lectures, practical exercises, country case studies, group work, discussion and feedback, role-play, presentations by participants and field trip. Training materials developed by Cap-Net, WaterNet and the Africa Groundwater Network were distributed to participants (see Annex1, Table 2).

Course Content The new course was structured around the thirteen modules as well as field visit to sites of surface water / groundwater interaction to provide insights into South Africa's experience on acid mine drainage from disused mines. This course drew its course materials from two existing CapNet courses: Groundwater Management in IWRM and IWRM for River Basin Organizations. Existing modules were specifically modified to identify and focus on groundwater management factors within the river basin setting and to highlight issues that will be helpful for water managers working in River Basin Organizations. The training course modules are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Course modules, contents and lessons learned Module Title Contents Lessons learned 1 Groundwater Introduces the strategies and tools for Huge opportunities exist with Management in integration of groundwater groundwater resource, as it is many times IWRM management into management the size of surface water resource. structures of River Basin Authorities; However, its quality can be a time bomb the need for groundwater management, since it manifests after sometime groundwater status quo 2 Groundwater Common geological formations; Understood key properties of aquifers Occurrence and hydrological units; aquifer and aquifer characterization (from Trans-boundary hydrogeological unit; use of maps to investigation & monitoring) for Aquifers in show aquifer characteristics and its groundwater management; aquifer Africa vulnerability; transboundary aquifers in overexploitation consequences; many Africa African countries sit on/ share one aquifer system 3 The Nature of Groundwater occurrence and Occurrence and movement of water in Groundwater assessment in aquifers with examples different types of aquifers; well yields and Resource

2 Module Title Contents Lessons learned Assessment 4 Surface Water – Introduced key issues of interactions: Substantial differences between Groundwater physical / chemical interaction, water transboundary river basins and Interactions balance, quality implications, system groundwater basins; entire water cycle dimensions, river basin / aquifer should be managed in an integrated way, boundaries, allocation, legislation with all inflows and outflows accounted concordance, institutional interactions for in water balance; conjunctive use of and practical management / monitoring surface water and groundwater to cope issues. with seasonal variability; signs of surface/groundwater interactions that include wetland generation, appearance of springs, change in groundwater quality, etc. 5 Groundwater Introduces need for groundwater Groundwater contaminants persist for Quality protection, causes of water quality long time. Hence, prevention is better Management degradation, quality standards, and cheaper than remediation. protection against contamination (including zoning, early warning, penalties, awareness raising, etc). 6 Groundwater Starts by defining groundwater Monitoring is done for both planning and Monitoring for monitoring, what to monitor, compliance purposes and it is Resource consequences of over-abstraction, cost meaningless if the results are not Management effective monitoring, sampling and managed, used and disseminated back to laboratory analysis quality control the stakeholders. 7 Practical Introduces groundwater allocation Awareness of the benefits and challenges Groundwater practical issues and objectives, purpose of groundwater rights system, understood Allocation and and benefits of water groundwater the need to link a groundwater rights Licensing rights, allocation criteria and system to a surface water rights system; administration of rights for renewable allocation should be supported by and non-renewable groundwater monitoring of water levels, quality compliance; stakeholder participation and transparency required for better compliance 8 Stakeholder Introduces stakeholder participation Identify, categorise stakeholders and Participation drawing from the Dublin Principles for maintain stakeholder participation over IWRM; need stakeholder participation; time; stakeholder participation is a components, instruments and challenging process to implement and incentives of participation; A rural well needs action at different levels of society, development role-play case study to but helps the community to adapt. give participants experience in “Powerful” stakeholders in decision stakeholder participation in the making dominate and set the agenda. planning of water resources development. 9 Economic and Introduced the financial and economic Appreciated how to apply financial and Financial Tools instruments or behavioural change, economic instruments for better for effective their difference, importance and groundwater management, e.g., cost Groundwater application in groundwater recovery; behaviour change; address management management e.g., in water allocation, equity and the poor; environmental pollution control, monitoring water protection. use, etc. 10 Groundwater Introduced components of water Appreciated need for groundwater Legislation and legislation and institutional legislation and its integration with Regulation arrangements for groundwater surface water legislation for better management; why groundwater was management; the practical aspects of neglected; levels of legislation in enforcement; institutional challenges countries; Discussion of the

3 Module Title Contents Lessons learned groundwater legislation in participants’ countries 11 Groundwater Climate change and variability (due to Understood impacts of climate change on and Climate earth tilting relative to the earth plane, rainfall, runoff, water quality, sea level, Change changing ocean oscillations and human ecosystem and groundwater. activities); risk management and Opportunities to use groundwater under resilience to climate change climate change 12 Communication Defines the resource setting Aware of the limited investment in and Information (hydrogeological and socio-economic groundwater management, though it is Management conditions), management instruments the largest water reservoir, use clear and measures, and messages and cartoons to draw attention action/implementation plan, oral, when communicating groundwater issues written and non-verbal communication to stakeholders skills 13 Ground-Water Highlights the merits and demerits of Groundwater and surface water are Management groundwater use, resource knowledge linked together in the hydrological cycle Functions at base of groundwater, legislation, and must be managed together; Catchment institutions, investments stages and Groundwater is hidden and it’s quantity Scale concludes by a groundwater and quality and rate of replenishment are monitoring cycle complex to measure Key training course references include: Groundwater Management in IWRM (CapNet / UNDP); IWRM for River Basin Organizations (CapNet / UNDP); GWMate Briefing Notes and Case Histories (World Bank)

Field trip Through the field trip to West Rand/Randfontein acid mine drainage decant sites and Krugersdorp river, participants acknowledged the importance of calibrating water quality instruments prior to taking measurements, collection of samples and their transportation to laboratory for analysis. Most of the participants had a chance to take measurements of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. Figures 2 shows the sites visited during the field trip. In addition, the participants appreciated the graveness of mining impacts long after their closure to water resources, as the acid mine drainage is coming from the rise in water table from disused mines (closed in early 1980s).

The participants appreciated the need for the government to request the water quality monitoring to be put in place at mine approval stage for the mines to monitor their activities. A certain percent of the mine profits can be set aside for future water treatment after the mine closure. This fee can be deposited with the government. The participants also appreciated that surface water and groundwater is a single resource that needs decisions to be made collectively. The field trip helped to deepen participants’ understanding of ground/surface interactions and impacts of anthropogenic activities (mining) on water quality.

4 Figure 2. Pictures from the fieldtrip

Release of learning material The participants were given hard copies of groundwater manual from Cap-Net, together with a soft copy on the CD that contained all presentations for the course. The manual can also be downloaded from the Cap-Net website. Some of the participants who are involved with the dissemination of water management knowledge were given Water Management in Motion DVDs (containing six thematic DVDs including 60 videos, tutorials and key references) for further dissemination in their institutions and to university students.

Evaluation of the course On the last day of the course, the evaluation of the training programme was done using a questionnaire with which the participants assessed their learning, overall impression of the course and provided suggestions on how the course could be improved in future. The majority of participants were in agreement that all of the above set aims and objectives were achieved, as shown in Figure 3. Besides the questionnaire, participants’ reactions and facilitators’ were also captured during the closing remarks that emphasised the importance of this training in enhancing the capacity of the African water professional to put groundwater and surface management into practice.

5 Figure 3. Result of course evaluation questionnaire

Certificates awarded to participants The participants were awarded certificates of the 40 hours effective learning on groundwater management within river basin at the closing of the course.

Figure 4. Presentation of course completion certificates to participants

Concluding remarks The objectivities of the course were achieved. The level of participation was very high and participants were free and open to share their experiences and ideas during the course. They fulfilled the assignments given to them as group work. Most of the African countries do not have groundwater explicitly stated in their Water acts and devolving power to lower structures is challenging in groundwater management. Hence, the participants considered the training very appropriate. The training course created a common understanding among the participants regarding the importance of transboundary aquifers, especially in the face of climate shocks and change. Transboundary aquifer commonly implies a body of groundwater intersected by a political border. The challenge is that the extend of these transboundary aquifers is not known, necessitating open dialogue and levelling the playing field among countries sitting on the same aquifer. Hence, regional effort is required to establish the aquifer extend, through use of seismic methods or gravity method or airborne surveys. Groundwater basin is always bigger than surface water basin because of geological features. In some cases made-made shafts and plate tectonic can connect groundwater basins that were not connected. Hence, water managers in one basin cannot ignore pollution occurring in another basin. For instance, Lesotho is a water tower to South Africa. If there is pollution in Lesotho it will flow to South Africa because of its position. In addition, with groundwater, a country

6 downstream can pollute groundwater water resources of an upstream country if there is hydraulic reversal as a result of huge pumping by an upstream country. This is unlikely in case of surface water.

Adaptive management of groundwater is the only way to understand the behaviour of aquifers. However, boreholes are usually not numbered by a concrete stone or on the casing to identify them. Effort needs to be made to identify the boreholes and mark their coordinates using global positioning system (GPS). We expect the trained participants, equipped with improved knowledge and learning materials of groundwater management will apply this knowledge in their institutions and educate their colleagues, thereby fostering the creation of a regional Community of Practice in Groundwater Management within River Basins. Follow up: the facilitators are open to give any technical assistance to participants to support their groundwater action plan implementation.

Recommendations The knowledge level of participants was adequate and this helped the facilitators to run the course smoothly in a learning atmosphere. Hence, the present criteria for selecting participants should be enhanced by emphasis on gender balance and participant application or dissemination of knowledge gained from the course to a wide audience.

Closing of the course The closing ceremony took place on the last day with the awarding of certificates to the participants. The participants were thanked for their participation and were encouraged to apply the knowledge and skills gained from the course in the field and to disseminate it to a wider audience.

7 Annex 1.

Table 2. List of participants

Table 3. Training course programme

Table 4. Finance

Evaluation of the short course.

8 Table 2. Details of participants and facilitators of the groundwater management course and materials received NAME COUNTRY GENDER ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS Materials received

1. Dlamini Swaziland Male Department of Water [email protected] Groundwater Tom Titus Affairs P.O.Box B32 management in Sandla, Mbabane, IWRM training H102, Swaziland Manual 2. Ngwenya South Africa Female Driekoppies Dam, [email protected] Groundwater Prudence Malelane, 1320, management in South Africa IWRM training Manual 3. Mulenga Zambia Male Department of Water [email protected] Groundwater Fred Affairs, Box 80982, management in Kabwe, Zambia IWRM training Manual 4. Sawunyama South Africa Male IWR Water [email protected] Groundwater Tendai Resources Pty Ltd, Manual Cedrella Building, 39 Murray Street, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa 5. Tlali Lesotho Female Department of Water [email protected] Groundwater Mahlalele Affairs, P.O. Box management in 772, Maseru, 100, IWRM training Lesotho Manual 6. Rosen Zimbabwe Male ZINWA, Box 2880, [email protected] To receive Tommy Bulawayo, Groundwater Zimbabwe management in IWRM training Manual from Richard in Zimbabwe 7. MogaMi Botswana Female P.O. Box 21592, [email protected] Groundwater Kneilwe Gaborone, Botswana management in IWRM training Manual 8. Hlatywayo Zimbabwe Female 13 Working Drive, [email protected]; To receive Chipo MT Pleasant, Harare [email protected] Groundwater management in IWRM training Manual from Richard in Zimbabwe 9. Masaka Botswana Male P. O. Box 1398, [email protected]; Groundwater Tebogo Gaborone, Botswana [email protected] management in IWRM training Manual 10. Katambara Tanzania Male P.O. Box 6201, [email protected] Groundwater Zacharia Mbeya, Tanzania management in IWRM training Manual 11. Nameduma Mozambique Male Administracao [email protected] Groundwater Tarcisio Regional de Agun do management in cent ro-Moza nua. IWRM training Sancho de toar Manual number 67, Porita- ges- Beira 12. Jean South Africa Male P.O. Box 311, [email protected] Groundwater Simmonis Mtuzini, 3867; +27729773994 management in University of IWRM training Zululand, Dept of Manual + DVD- Hydrology P. Bag X water

9 NAME COUNTRY GENDER ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS Materials received 1001Rwadlangezwa management in 3886 motion 13. Mlambo South Africa Male Schoeman & [email protected]; Groundwater Douglas Partners Consulting, [email protected] management in P.O. Box 2471, IWRM training BRITS 0250 Manual + DVD- water management in motion 14. Masalla Tanzania Male Geita Gold Mine, [email protected]; Groundwater Jones P.O. Box 532, Geita- [email protected] management in Mwanza IWRM training Manual 15. Omwenga Kenya Male Ministry of Water [email protected]; Groundwater Joe and Irrigation, Box +254722162151 management in 49720, Nairobi IWRM training Manual 16. Micah South Africa Male University of the [email protected]; Groundwater Christopher Western Cape, [email protected] management in Dominick Modderdam Road, IWRM training Bellville, South Manual Africa 17. Dr Richard Zimbabwe Male Africa Groundwater [email protected] DVD-water Owen Network, 11 Hazel management in Rd Mandara, Harare, motion Zimbabwe

18. Prof Tamiru South Africa Male Wits University, Bag [email protected] DVD-water Abiye X3, Johannesburg, management in 2050; School of motion Geosciences

19. Dr Manuel South Africa Male Wits University, Bag [email protected] Groundwater Magombeyi X3, Johannesburg, management in 2050; School of Civil IWRM training & Environmental Manual + DVD- Engineering water management in motion 20. Dr Jean- Zimbabwe Male Waternet, WaterNet jmkileshye- Marie Secretariat, Box MP [email protected] Kileshye 600, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe Onema

21. Ms Rennie Zimbabwe Female Waternet Programme [email protected] Chioreso Officer, WaterNet Secretariat, Box MP 600, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe

10 11 Table 3. Groundwater management within river basins training course programme. Date: 18 – 22 July, 2011. Venue: Johannesburg Time 18 July 2011 19 July, 2011 20 July, 2011 21 July, 2011 22 July, 2011 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 08:00-08:45 Registration Module 4: Surface water / Field visit Module 8: Stakeholder Module 12: Groundwater interactions. Tamiru Participation. Rennie Communication & Information Tamiru Management Richard O8:45-9:00 Introduction & Greetings. Manuel Activity 4 & 7. Discussion: Role Activity 8. Role play. Play: Conflict over groundwater To West Rand / Community & farmers meet Activity: Role play on 9.00-9.30 Course introduction – Groundwater abstraction in a fully committed Randfontein to AMD water manager and discuss information management Management within River Basins basin. Major users, catchment decant site and community responsibilities for impact / needs. Richard managers, community, environment Krugersdorp river. aquifer management. etc. Participants Participants

10:00-10:15 Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break Module 1: Groundwater and Module 5: Groundwater Quality Module 9: Economic and Module 13: Groundwater 10:15-11:15 Integrated Water Resources Management. Tamiru Financial Instruments. Rennie management functions at Management: Framework. Richard catchment scale. Richard Activity 5: Case histories with Activity 6. Discuss how to apply 11:15 – 12:30 Activity 1. Develop a basin plan with groundwater quality problems. Or financial and economic Discussion. GW & Dublin principles – report Role play – urban waste instruments to GW management. back. Participants management to improve water Participants quality Participants 12:30-13:30 Lunch Break Lunch Break Lunch Break Lunch Break Module 2: Groundwater Occurrence Module 6: Groundwater Monitoring Module 10: Groundwater Case Histories 13:30-14:15 and Transboundary Aquifers in Africa for Resource Management. Tamiru Legislation and Regulation Participants Manuel Manuel Activity 6: Design a Groundwater Activity 2: Discussion: Management Monitoring system: Scale / type of Discussion: what are the most 14.15-15.15 strategies for transboundary aquifers monitoring. What is monitored? important practical aspects for in Africa. Participants Who should pay? Frequency of groundwater legislation and monitoring? Use of data? implementation. Participants 15:15-15:30 Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break 15:30-16:15 Module 3: The nature of Groundwater Module 7: Groundwater Allocation Module11: Groundwater and Summary: Key Issues and and Resource Assessment. Jean and Licensing. Richard Climate Change. Jean Marie Participants Feedback: Marie Activity 7 & 4: Role play: Allocation Activity 1: Discussion. How (All facilitators) 16.15-17.00 Activity 3. Examples of Groundwater of groundwater in a heavily can GW and SW management Resources Assessment Participants committed basin. Participants reduce CC impacts? Participants  Facilitators: Richard Owen (AGW-Net); Tamiru Abiye (AGW-Net / Wits); Rennie Chioreso (WaterNet); Manuel Magombeyi (Wits), Jean-Marie Kileshye-Onema (WaterNet).

12 Table 4. Finance

Items Amount (Rand)

Income received 71213.20

Expenses

Conference package + accommodation at Orion 70,120.02

Excursion (Transport) 2,280.00

Excursion (Refreshment) 125.85

Transport to Pretoria to collect Manuals from CapNet 500.00

Transport for participants back to Airport 900.00 Total expenses 73,925.87

Shortfall 2,712.67

Evaluation report WaterNet / AGWNet / Wits University Short Course: Groundwater Management within River Basins

1. Relevance of the course to your current work or function.

None Low Medium High Very high 13% 60% 27%

2. Extent to which you have acquired information / content that is new to you.

3. Relevance of the information / content that you have acquired for your work.

4. Did the course reach your expectations and objectives?

No Little Just enough More than enough Completely 6% 50% 44%

5. As a regional course participant, has the course prepared you to lead a follow up course in your own country / organization?

None Low Medium High Very high 7% 14% 47% 33%

13 6. Considering the course, the sessions were:

Fully relevant 64% Most of them relevant 36% Only some were relevant They were not relevant

7. The presentation of the different sessions was:

Excellent 53% Very good 47% Good Average Poor

8. Participation possibilities during the course were:

Excellent 67% Very good 33% Good Average Poor

9. The length of the course was:

Excessive 27% Adequate 67% Insufficient 7%

10. Supporting materials for the different sessions were:

Excellent 39% Very good 39% Good 23% Average Poor

11. The presentation of case studies and experiences enabled you to appreciate the applicability of the issues discussed:

Completely 100% Sufficiently but without covering all issues Insufficient

Comments: Positive comments: Field trip; very relevant (x3); regional nature of participants; excellent interaction; well presented and easy to follow; educating; great experience; networking positive; Negative comments: too many exercises; more time for sightseeing / shopping; need more varied participants; improve networking possibilities; more time needed for lectures; hotel setting too inner city without access to gardens, shops or safe walking.