THE REPUBLIC OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA FINLAND Ministry of Agriculture Ministry for Foreign Water and Rural Affairs Development Department of Water Finnish International Affairs (DWA) Development Agency Directorate of FINNIDA Rural Water Supply (DRWS) WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECT IN OHANGWENA REGION, NAMIBIA ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY OCTOBER 1994 DRAFT REPORT No. 1 FINNCONSULT OY Project No. 28103701-8 r. 824—NAOH—13207 WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECT IN OHANGWENA REGION, NAMIBIA ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY OCTOBER 1994 DRAFT REPORT NO. I TABLE OF CONTENTS LOCATION MAPS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 2 3 MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY 3 4 DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS 4 4.1 Location and General Area Description 4 4.2 Climatic Conditions 7 4.3 Geology and Soils 10 4.4 Surface Water Resources and Drainage System 12 4.5 Groundwater Resources 21 4.6 Vegetation and Wildlife 23 4.7 Population, Human Settlements and Infrastructure 29 4.8 Land-use Patterns and Farming Systems 31 4.9 An Overview of Environmental Degradation 41 4.10 Household Structure, Economy and Incomes 51 4.11 Social Conditions and Services 52 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECT IN WESTERN OHANGWENA REGION (WSSPOR) 55 6 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR WATER SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT 59 7 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION DEVELOPMENT 61 8 WATER SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT AND LAND-USE PLANNING 65 9 COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY OPTiONS 67 10 REQUIREMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MQNITORING 72 11 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 73 I~j ~ ... 2 ~4 W,1? O H ~‘LL~:______ ANNEXES: 1 Terms of Reference for EIA Study 2 List of Persons and Organisations Consulted 3 Literature and References 4 Itinerary and Work Programme 5 Photographs LIST OF FIGURES, MAPS AND TABLES Figures Figure 1 Average Monthly Rainfall, and Maximum and Minimum Temperatures In Ondangwa; Rainfall 1902-1975, Temperatures 1944-1975 9 Figure 2 Diagram of Water Balance (DWA) 9 Figure 3 Schematic Layout of the Herringbone Water Supply System 20 Figure 4 Diagram Showing Groundwater Aquifers and Recharge Systems and Location of Wells and Omafima 22 Figure 5 Layout of a typical Owambo farm 33 Figure 6 Schematic Presentation of Agroforestry System . 49 Figure 7 Framework of Project Environment 57 Figure 8 Project Organogram 58 Figure 9 Risks Related to Improved Water Supply in Ecologically Fragile Areas with Extensive Livestock Rearing 62 Maps Map 1 General Location Map After Table of Contents Map 2 Overall Map of Western Ohangwena Region After Table of Contents Map 3 Administrative Boundaries 5 Map 4 Simplified Population Density 5 Map 5 Population Density in Owambo 1985 6 Map 6 Major Groundwater Areas and Simplified Soil Distribution 13 Map 7 The Cuvelai Drainage System in Southern Angola and Owambo 15 Map 8 Existing and Proposed Canals and Pipelines in Owambo . 18 Map 9 Existing and Proposed Pipelines of the Herringbone System in Western Ohangwena Region and Oshakati-Ondangwa Area 19 Map 10 Vegetation Types 24 Map 11 Settlement Pattern around Ondobe . 34 Map 12 Settlement Pattern around Egambo, southwest of Eenhana . 35 Map 13 Location of Owambo Communities in the 1850’s . 45 Map 14 Deforestation of Dry Deciduous Forest in Owambo 47 Tables Table 1 Longterm Monthly Mean Values Of Temperature, Relative Humidity and Rainfall at Ondangwa 8 Table 3 Owambo - General Geology and Stratigraphy 11 Table 4 Principal Characteristics of Most Common Trees in the Study Area 28 Table 5 Major Centres In and Around Ohangwena Region 30 Table 6 Comparison of Livestock Numbers in Owambo in 1945, 1973 and 1992 .. 40 Table 7 Numbers of Clinical Cases of Common And/Or Serious Diseases in Owambo During 1989-92 52 I—-’ - \ . ‘., 1W~ ll’~ Te~ Savate’~\ C k b metres/ kiIometers/k~bometern 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 C -~ -~ 0 20 40 60 80 100 rntles/ myl/ meile ct~u~ ~dOT 1135 Ombaru -~ — ItI~(~/ ...~ J’v~F btjitoko ...~ 0 - . ..,~ ‘~‘~c~c;h• ~ 1 ~ — —~, \ r ~ ~ —~---—‘~: ~.,—_-_ ~ \~iril,t’j,zooAu / 7 i I — \\...DilDt ~ ~ Okatjuru -, ~‘7~ \SP(Ifl ~ ~ t..o~s’..-ha. :- ~ ~ ~ c ~ ~ — / .~.•,•. ~. -.~ . .. .. .. -. - . — . —— —~ - — - tl P a ii N1amu~tonT ? ~ ~ tl 0 ETOSHAI~TIdNAL 1PARK.~ ~ La Rochelie ‘-3 ~ Sprokieswoud ..‘ . - H Flaunted Forest~ Halali ‘1’ (J]’v\~~~‘ 0 - * ~-~---—“ + .~ S 0Otjovasa Okaukuejo ~ Coma Iiji~~’i~ 1~umel V (5’ ~ - Bobo — Hobetare “,.~ - Tsobi N G I ~1~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ •:r~ • .~: L. ~. - - - ~. ~ ~ ~ . —. — Maa IC MAP 2. OVERALL MAP OF WESTERN OH.ANGWENA REGION Region — Main gravel road AND WSSPOR PROJECT AREA ConstituencY * Main town Prolect area • Main growmng center • Growing point — Main tarred road WA TER .SUPPLYAND SAN/TAT/OW PRoJEcTIN OHANGWEA,A REGION, NAMIBIA DRAFT REPORTNo I ENVIRONMENTALIMPACT ASSESSMENT Smiov OCTOBER 1994 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIA Study) has been prepared by Mr Kari Silfverberg, Environmental Planner, as a component of the ongoing Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Ohangwena Region (WSSPOR). The project is a part of the bilateral development cooperation programme between Finland and Namibia, implemented by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (MAWRD), with development assistance services provided by Finnconsult Oy. Scheduled project duration is from March 1992 until the end of 1996. The main purpose for the study has been to investigate environmental conditions in Ohangwena Region and north-central Owambo, particularly issues related to water supply and sanitation development and the activities of the project, and on the basis of these investigations prepare recommendations concerning prevention and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts as well as possibilities of environmental enhancement through project activities. The findings and recommendations of the EIA Study will be taken into consideration during preparation of-a Water Supply Development Plan for Ohangwena Region, scheduled to be finalized dunng 1995. Since the project is mainly concentrating on institutional development, training and community mobilization, there are very limited adverse impacts on the biophysical environment in the project area, arising from physical upgrading and construction activities undertaken by the project. The most important environmental consequences of the WSSPOR project are related to the Water Supply Development Plan, which is being prepared by DWA with assistance from the project. A summary of recommendations, altogether 12 main recommendations, is presented in Chapter 11. The most important finding of the study is that water supply development is a major factor determining settlement patterns and densities of human and livestock populations within the region. Due to semi-arid climate and rather poor sandy soils, the region is vulnerable to environmental degradation caused by overutiUzation of natural resources by people and livestock. The process of land degradation and deforestation F/NNCONSUL T 0 V WATER SUPPLYAND SANITATION PROJECT IN OHANGWENA REGION, NAMIBIA DRAFT REPORT No. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTASSESSMENT S ruov OCTOBER 1994 have already reached alarming dimensions in Ohangwena Region and many other densely populated parts of Owambo. Therefore it is of utmost importance that the numerous sectoral development activities being implemented within the region, particularly improvements of water supply, should be sufficiently coordinated with a strong emphasis on the carrying capacity of land, natural vegetation and water resources. This need for coordination and consideration of environmental sustainabihty calls for the preparation of an overall regional land-use plan to guide future developments of water supply infrastructure as well as other development efforts within the region. Although legal and institutional frameworks for land-use planning and control are not yet sufficiently established at the central government level, there are no major institutional constraints for the starting of the process to prepare an interim overall land-use plan for Ohangwena region. The sooner this process can be started the better. FINNCONSULrOy II WA TER SuPPLYAND SANITA nON PROJECT IN OHANGWENA REcIcw, NAMIBIA DRAFT REPORTNo. I ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTSTUDY OCTOBER 1994 I INTRODUCTION The Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Ohangwena Region (WSSFOR) is a part of the bilateral development cooperation programme between Finland and Namibia. The project is implemented by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (MAWRD), and scheduled duration is from March 1992 until the end of 1996. Consultancy services for project implementation are provided by Finnconsult Dy The project area, comprising totally about 3 880 km2 with a population of about 125 000, consists of the western and central parts of Ohangwena administrative region in the densely populated northern parts of the country (former Owambo Region). The project area extends in the north to the border between Namibia and Angola, and it is transected by the main northern trunk road from Ondangwa to Oshikango and Angola. Climatically Ohangwena region is semi-arid, and its natural environment has generally a rather low population carrying capacity. The majority of the rural population is practiciing traditional subsistenace agriculture with livestoock husbandry as an important component. A major constraint to human life in the region