THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK RIVERS RESEARCH PROGRAMME FINAL REPORT Incorporating the Contract Report and the Review Report WRC Report No. TT 130/00 April 2000 Obtainable from: Water Research Commission PO Box 824 PRETORIA 0001 DISCLAIMER This report has been reviewed by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the WRC, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ISBN 1 86845 622 6 Printed in the Republic of South Africa ii CONTRACT REPORT OF THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK RIVERS RESEARCH PROGRAMME (KNPRRP) PREPARED BY: Charles Breen Mark Dent Joan Jaganyi Bonani Madikizela Josh Maganbeharie Asaph Ndlovu Jay O’Keeffe Kevin Rogers Maritza Uys Freek Venter Programme Secretariat: Gayle Rolando National Research Foundation PO Box 2600 PRETORIA, 0001 Telephone: 012-481 4103 Telefax: 012-481 4105 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.ccwr.ac.za/knprrp/index.html iii PREFACE The Kruger National Park Rivers Research Programme was subject to external review on completion of the third phase. To enable readers to benefit from the work of the programme and the perceptions of the reviewers, this Final Report is in two parts: Contract Report and Review Report. KNPRRP Final Phase III Report : Preface iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .............................................................................................................................................. iv ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. viii LIST OF BOXES ................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................ ix LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................................................................................... ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................ 6 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE .............................................................................................................. 6 INTRODUCTION TO PHASES II AND III ........................................................................................... 6 DESIGNING THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME ................................................................................ 10 KEEPING ABREAST OF CHANGE ................................................................................................... 13 MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................................. 19 PROGRESS ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Subsidiary goals for Phase III ........................................................................................................ 45 Evaluating goal attainment ............................................................................................................. 56 STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAMME ............................................................................................... 59 WEAKNESSES .................................................................................................................................... 59 Internal ........................................................................................................................................... 59 External .......................................................................................................................................... 60 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................... 61 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 62 BUDGET AND ALLOCATIONS......................................................................................................... 65 KNPRRP: PROJECT DATABASE ...................................................................................................... 71 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 78 SUBPROGRAMME REPORTS ........................................................................................................... 80 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND FACILITATION SUBPROGRAMME ............................. 80 RESEARCH SUBPROGRAMME ...................................................................................................... 104 INTEGRATED RIVER MANAGEMENT SUBPROGRAMME ....................................................... 117 MONITORING SUBPROGRAMME ................................................................................................. 132 CORRECTIVE ACTION SUBPROGRAMME .................................................................................. 148 PERCEPTIONS OF THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND PROGRAMME PARTNER REPORTS ........................................................................................................................................... 154 CORRECTIVE ACTION: J. JAGANYI ............................................................................................. 156 MONITORING: B. MADIKIZELA .................................................................................................... 157 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND FACILITATION: J. MAGANBEHARIE ........................ 158 INTEGRATED RIVER MANAGEMENT: M. UYS .......................................................................... 160 KNPRRP Final Phase III Report : Table of Contents v ACRONYMS ACRU Agricultural Catchment Research Unit APNR Associated Private Nature Reserves ARC Agricultural Research Council ARCVIEW GIS Software BASINS Better Assessment Science Integrating Non-point and Point Sources BEEH Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology BLINKS Linking of Abiotic and Biotic Prediction Capabilities BWB Bushbuckridge Water Board CALSITE Name of a Simulation Model CCWR Computing Centre for Water Research CMA Catchment Management Agency CMC Catchment Management Committee CWE Centre for Water in the Environment DEAT Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism DALA Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs DSOH Desired State Objectives Hierarchy DSS Decision Support System DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry FRD Foundation for Research Development GenScn Tool for the Generation and Analysis of Model Simulation Scenarios for Watersheds GIS Geographic Information System HBU Historically Black University HSPF Hydrological Simulation Programme Fortran HYDROCOM Company Name GMS Goal Maintenance System ICIS Integrated Catchment Information System ICM Integrated Catchment Management IFR Instream Flow Requirement IGS Institute for Groundwater Studies IM&F Information Management and Facilitation Subprogramme INR Institute of Natural Resources IRMP Integrated River Management Subprogramme IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature IWQS Institute for Water Quality Studies IWR Institute for Water Research KNP Kruger National Park KNPRRP Kruger National Park Rivers Research Programme KOBWA Komati Basin Water Authority MPB Mpumalanga Parks Board NPB National Parks Board - now South African National Parks (SANP) NPDALE Northern Province Department of Agriculture, Land and Environment NRF National Research Foundation NRI National Rivers Initiative ORF Olifants River Forum PC Policy Committee PDMC Programme Development and Management Committee QRBM Quantitative Rule Based Model KNPRRP Final Phase III Report: Acronyms vi ACRONYMS (Continued) RCHRES Reach or Reservoir Segment of a River RHP River Health Programme SAFCOL South African Forestry Company Ltd SAM Strategic Adaptive Management SANP South African National Parks SAPPI South African Paper & Pulp Industry SASAQS Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists SASS South African Scoring System SEDFLO Sediment Flow Model SIDA Swedish International Development Agency SRWG Sabie River Working Group TPC Threshold of Probable Concern UCI User Control Input UCT University of Cape Town UNP University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg UNITRA University of Transkei UFS University of the Free State USAID United States Agency for International Development USGS United States Geological Survey USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency UV University of Venda UZ University of Zululand WATERLIT Water Literature Database WDM Watershed Data Management System WRC Water Research Commission KNPRRP Final Phase III Report: Acronyms vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Kruger National Park Rivers Research Programme was conceptualised and has been conducted as a collaborative joint venture between researchers, stakeholders, resource managers and funders. All have had their roles to play and none is more or less important than another. It