An Environmental Study of the Lourens River Estuary
AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF THE LOURENS RIVER ESTUARY SALLY CLIFF University of Cape Town Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Environmental Studies at the University of Cape Town __ -_ -- - - - · - -_ ---- _-:.. 11 JI Tho Ui.EVGrs,'; ~' ,Jfl(; T:J."ifl h<'S b::ie:, QO\l@fi II [~ t!1~ r\;i1.: L :·:>)~t~~u~c tf~is. ~f;o;f·is ~ITT v,,{1cte I November 1982 ;: or in .xir~. :::o::,yrig:-Ct u:.: k),S: by the cw~ho<'. :! ' •. _,_ ,·-· ---------- ,_ ,<-.,- ---·- ----~------ ;_~J ,_. SCHOOL' -·op ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES RESEARCH REPORT N0.40 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town ABSTRACT An environmental study of the Lourens River estuary was completed, whereby field surveys were undertaken and all available knowledge was ",) col Lated. The Lourens estuary is a small system opening into False Bay, Southwestern Cape; it is almost entirely enclosed within AECI security fences and access to the public is restricted. Physico- chemical parameters exhibit seasonal variations and the estuary may be marine dominated in summer and river dominated during the wet season. Terrestrial and aquatic biota are generally depauperate. The poor ecological quality of the estuary may be attributed primarily to periodic pollution inputs from the AECI main drain dis- charge, but also to the complex arrangements of Land ownership and administrative controls and the influences of urban, industrial and agricultural developments in the river basin.
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