DOCSLIB.ORG

Olifants Water Management Area: Catchment Management Agency Establishment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Olifants Water Management Area: Catchment Management Agency Establishment /ntersectoral Management of River Basins Olifants Water Management Area: Catchment Management Agency Establishment Magda Ligthelm Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Mpumalanga Regional Office, Nelspruit, South Africa Abstract South Africa's Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) started the process of establishing a Catchment Management Agency (CMA) in the Olifants , .....0- ttl · , ..... Water Management Area (WMA) in March 1998. The emphasis during the early t:: .c cO :::l Q) ~ ""0 .l2""O UJ c: u Q. Ol ~ 0 c: C: (\j UJ .Q ~ 1il Q) c: ~ Q. ttl stages was on getting representatives from water users in the catchment, and <l) 1il <l) Q) Q) Q) .:;e oct ttl co1ilO: ~~ sharing information on the new water legislation (specifically related to the proposed 8 c: Cl c ttl ~ c: ttl iii o .g · ;:: c: pj Q) catchment management agencies) and existing DWAF projects in the catchment. ttl ~ ';;; :a: 0: 0 ..., ~.l2 .;..;c .g ""0 ""0 '- c .5. At that stage DWAF already identified that a special effort would have to be made c:­ g,§£ c: 2 ~ UJm Q) <l)­ ttl ttl .~ Z, 0 ttl Q. :::l <l) E to involve emerging farmers and potential water users through water related and E < Q. Q) 0 E ':; <l)~ .c .. en 0: :::l c­ water unrelated community structures. Such an effort was taken forward in 1999/ OlU gO 0 :§ 0: en Ci3 Q) E Q) ttl en c:'E 0 2000 with the appointment of consultants to identify and brief these users and en ttl t:: rJi cG c: .- 0 ~ ""0 c: ;:: .2 ~ §''::: .t: c: potential users before meetings, and to assist them in attending the relevant ttl ttl ~~.c .f: tll E....I U '';:; .9 • Q) U ~ ~~ = ttl Q) <l) Cl c: meetings. The consultants would also assist DWAF in establishing suitable .0 "- lo- <t:cCii ]j]1 u».c ..... :::lgc.. .. U <l) .Q structures for drafting the proposal to the Minister of DWAF for establishing a CMA ~ c: :::l :; :::l .l2 tll UJ ro . in the Olifants, assist in building capacity of participants, prepare the proposal to ~Cl o 0 '?:~~ :~c:UJ ..., .- Q.Q) c..en <t<t1i} ....I_8.9£ '(3 'S ~ c: Q) ~ Q) Q) - the Minister and manage the project up to the formal establishment of the Olifants e! .... - ""0 Q) .... · c: <l) 8.9l6- .... tE ._e UJ. .$ .~ .- UJ 0 ....IQ)_ <t E1il ttl III CMA. Ii:! > <l) UJ fil . S ~::lu.. :5i~~ c:UJQ)Z ;::8 Q.£ § '15 . .2 Ol . 0~2(!) ii UJ During the process frustrations regarding lack of water (domestic supply, irrigation c: c: en § -~*ttlc...... t62-g .0 ttl tll tll c:u~<t _Ill ~ c: Q) .- .Q += .!l? ttl ttl .Q <t .f: <t tll :::l 2 supply) were prevalent. Those were noted but DWAF was of the opinion that they c: .f!.l <l) E ~ .g .g .2 ~ :::l ~ .§ ~ iii 3: f!! 'E""Ou z .l:: Q. e could not be addressed through the project but would get high priority when the g ~ g. 'c en ""0 'co ~E« Q) c: '­ Ol£ 1U1ii Q) c: :I:: >ttlj5co <t<t Q) Q) ttl""Oc.. :::l Z l!:! <t'E.c.c c: _:::l 0 UJ.c • strategy would be developed as part of the next phase of the management of the .Q. ""0 E ""Ottl<t ""0 ..... Q) :50: ttl~ "5 en '­ iJ)Q)'S"5 OOlQ.Z .... :::l U Olifants water resource where all could then participate. Concerns were also ,g Iii E (!) .!l? Q) »EoO o .f: Q) ttl 0 c: UJ""O Cii _ 0 C:""O U1il ::lr:.enen W.:.::>M ;:: en Q) referred to relevant sections in DWAF where appropriate. c: U o c: <t · U c: - o ttl '13 .,... E~ Q. o - Ci3 ttl ::ll63: :::!E 1il'-.!!! .9 0 .$ »3: u :;:; ttl :> Ol_ w:::!EQ)a)' Q.UJ "uc:o zc::l::Q. § u . A smaller team of consultants started the establishment of a small-scale irrigation co .!: :><to E ~ Q) - = Ol 15Jl1u § ""0 .......... ::l.Q:e o o c: farmers forum. They started the process by having nine workshops throughout the c..& c: c: c: ~.l2El!:! .:.:: c..:i: ci:~;§~ Q)<t ttl Q) Q) OlUJ<l)c.. a:i ·tll catchment where emphasis was put on getting the expectations of the participants § 0 c.. :!::: Q)Q)Ol • 'G 0 tIl .c ~ <t E E ~ E :::!EQ)t:: ~ cs> E .f: and then briefly looking at existing structures and how those could be used as ~ u g 2 D-::§~~ ~ Q) » 3: o g> ~ (!)~tllco ~ .f: -E "E .2 vehicles for participation of the people in the CMA process, and in the longer term, Q. 0 r..:~ . c: Q) .. '- Eo ..., ttl Q) we as formalised structures where small-scale farmers could be represented to get IU' N 0)- OttlCl <i:l .,... - § ;:: E 'Q. .. en o 0) 0 8:::!E . .(!) ~> ~ .- 0 Q) <t_ CD • N-C: c: - tll their needs addreSSed. The expectations mentioned centred around getting water ~a:i2~ UJ1ilF2 .- .:.:: _tll­ c: .2 (!) ::E u.: cQ) u.: l6 .g Q) O):::l • .Q. Q) c: (access to drinking water and water for domestic use, water for agricultural OlO)OO e en .l2 Q) Q) ...:: <t E _,-(/)2 ""0 .5:1 iii c: purposes) and then using it efficiently and effectively (assistance from government :c.- E<l) ~ E ~ c:--Q) e~ :::l E ID co l6 3: '0 Q) in providing water and sanitation, and agriculture-related finances, equipment, land, Cl Cl Cl (!) ..., ~ training, market information, etc.). This now has to go forward. The approach used during the process was to get the public involved through two rounds of public meetings held in the five sub-catchments in the WMA. Consultants familiar with the area assisted in identifying relevant stakeholders and assisted them in attending. During the meetings one of the aims was to ask people to nominate 23 Ligthelm: Establishing a Catchment Management Agency representatives who could bring the perspective of the users during the drafting of the proposal. The idea was to work with a single smaller group of people (the OHfants Reference Group) who would participate in the drafting of the proposal and then give feedback, to the people they represent and to the team drafting the proposal. Other components of the process included discussions with a DWAF Reference Group (established because the process is so new), a review by IWMI, and the establishment of an advisory committee to advise the Minster on the composition of the proposed CMA governing Board. A proposal is being drafted, containing the proposed name and water management area; description of the significant water resources in the WMA and information about the existing protection. use, development. conservation, management and control of those resources; proposed functions; funding; feasibility of proposed CMA in respect of technical, financial and administrative matters; and details on the consultation already undertaken and the result of the consultation. As a consequence of the deliberations on the functions that a CMA would do, but also when discussing "where" and "how" (through which structures) water users and interested parties would participate. the proposed structures to be established for future water resource management were discussed. These would include a Governing Board; Regional Catchment Management Committees; Task Committees and an Operational. Technical and Social Support structure. Where funding is concerned. the idea is that the costs associated with the functioning of the CMA would be paid by the water users according to the policy explained in the National Pricing Strategy. Provision is made in the strategy for subsidising poor water users. Details on financial support from government is still being discussed. A new institlltion is thus being developed for management of the water resources in the Olifants WMA. Water users and other interested parties in the WMA would be part of this institution to which the responsibility for WRM could be delegated where possible and appropriate. Acronyms used: CBOs: Community Based Organisations CMA: Catchment Management Agency DWAF: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry GB: Governing Board of the CMA NGOs; Non-Governmental Organisations NWA: National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) WMA: Water Management Area WRM: Water Resource Management WUA: Water User Association 24 Intersectoral Management of River Basins 1. Introduction South Africa went through major political changes in 1994 with the first democratic elections being held. Since then radical changes have been made in promulgation of new or amended legislation to give effect to the political changes. The new water legislation reflected the changes that have to take place to equal the imbalances created previously and to lay the foundation for a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. Significant additional changes were also made in how water resource management (WRM) would be done. All new requirements were reflected in the purpose of the National Water Act (NWA), promulgated in 1998 (Box 1). Box 1: Purpose of the National Water Act, 1998 (section 2) The purpose of the Act is to ensure that the nation's water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in ways which take into account amongst other factors the following: (a) Meeting the basic human needs of present and future generations; (b) Promote equitable access to water; (c) Redressing the results of past racial and gender discrimination; (d) Promoting the efficient, sustainable and beneficial use of water in the public interest; (e) Facilitating social and economic development; (f) Providing for growing demand for water use; (g) Protecting aquatic and associated ecosystems and their biological diversity; (h) Reducing and preventing pollution and degradation of water resources; (i) Meeting international obligations; U) Promoting dam safety; (k) Managing floods and droughts; and for achieving this purpose, to establish suitable institutions and to ensure that they have appropriate community, racial and gender representation.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Bezhoek Heritage Report
    Francois P Coetzee Heritage Survey of the farm Bezuidenhoutshoek 274JS Cultural Heritage Survey of the Farm Bezuidenhoutshoek 274JS, Magisterial District of Middelburg, Mpumalanga For Bezuidenhoutshoek Farm (Pty) Ltd P O Box 1152 Gallo Manor 2052 By Francois P Coetzee Department of Anthropology & Archaeology University of South Africa PO Box 392 Pretoria 0003 Tel: (012) 429 6297 Fax: (012) 429 6091 [email protected] August 2009 Francois P Coetzee Heritage Survey of the farm Bezuidenhoutshoek 274JS Contents Executive Summary 1. Introduction 2. Terms of Reference 3. Nature of the Proposed Activity or Development 4. Definitions and Approach 5. Methodology 5.1 Maps and Other Sources 5.2 Fieldwork 5.3 Visibility and Constraints 6. Description of Study Area 7. Archaeological Sequence 8. Archaeological Context 8.1 Stone Age 8.2 Iron Age Sequence 8.3 Ethno-historical Context 9. Description of Sites 10. Summary of Sites 11. Rock Art Sites 12. Director-General: Survey Maps 13. Conclusions and Recommendations Bibliography Francois P Coetzee Heritage Survey of the farm Bezuidenhoutshoek 274JS Executive Summary This report focuses on the results from a cultural heritage investigation on the farm Bezuidenhoutshoek 274JS. The area is characterised by mountainous areas (featuring the Olifants River) as well as open grassland. The area has a rich cultural heritage with Ndebele people living in the area since AD1650 and white farmers settling in the late 19th Century. Iron Age settlements Five Late Iron Age stone-walled settlements were recorded during the survey. These are preliminarily associated with Ndzundza-Ndebele occupation (AD 1650 – AD 1830). Some of these sites are extensive and have substantial archaeological deposits.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Affairs in the Lower Blyde River the Role of DWAF in Local Water Management
    Water Affairs in the Lower Blyde River The role of DWAF in local water management IWMI Working Paper B.W. Raven, April 2004, Wageningen Acknowledgments The author likes to thank specifically Barbara van Koppen (IWMI) and Jeroen Warner (Wageningen University) for their help and contribution to this case study. The author further thanks: Willy Enright (DWAF Western Cape), Edward Lahiff (Western Cape University), Cees Leeuwis (Wageningen University), Derek Weston and Francois van der Merwe (DWAF Pretoria), Gert Bezuidenhout Johan Du Preez (Lower Blyde River WUA) Francis Mohlala (Mametja / Sekororo communities), Marie Tinka Uys (Environmental issues Blyde River), Gerhard Backeberg (WRC Pretoria), Anthony Turton (AWIRU Pretoria), Herve Levite, Nicholas Faysse, Tebogo Seshoka and other colleagues of IWMI Pretoria. 1 Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Case Study: The Lower Blyde River 1.2 The Case Study in perspective: South Africa and The Netherlands 1.3 Case Study Objectives 2 General Background 2.1 Multi Stakeholder Participation 2.2 Former SA irrigation policy 2.3 The new SA water policy: NWA 1998 2.4 Building CMAs and WUAs 3 The Lower Blyde River 3.1 The Blyde River Catchment 3.2 Stakeholders 3.2.1 Irrigation Farmers 3.2.2 Mametja / Sekororo Communities 3.2.3 Upstream Stakeholders 3.2.4 Downstream Stakeholders 3.2.5 Governments involved 4 Water Management in the Lower Blyde River 4.1 The Lower Blyde WUA 4.2 The Lower Blyde Irrigation Pipeline 4.3 The 800ha Black Emerging Farmers Project 4.4 Domestic Water Supply Mametja / Sekororo communities 5 Conclusions Bibliography Annex: list of interviews 2 1 Introduction “The new South Africa is the world in microcosm, in its population mix, its wealth gap and above all in the impact which the new forces of globalisation are having on it.
    [Show full text]
  • The Geology of the Olifants River Area, Transvaal
    REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA REPUBLIEK VANSUID-AFRIKA· DEPARTMENT OF MINES DEPARTEMENT VAN MYNWESE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOLOGIESE OPNAME THE GEOLOGY OF THE OLIFANTS RIVER AREA, TRANSVAAL AN EXPLANATION OF SHEETS 2429B (CHUNIESPOORT) AND 2430A (WOLKBERG) by J. S. I. Sehwellnus, D.Se., L. N. J. Engelbrecht, B.Sc., F. J. Coertze, B.Sc. (Hons.), H. D. Russell, B.Sc., S. J. Malherbe, B.Sc. (Hons.), D. P. van Rooyen, B.Sc., and R. Cooke, B.Sc. Met 'n opsomming in Afrikaans onder die opskrif: DIE GEOLOGIE VAN DIE GEBIED OLIFANTSRIVIER, TRANSVAAL COPYRIGHT RESERVED/KOPIEREG VOORBEHOU (1962) Printed by and obtainable (rom Gedruk deur en verkrygbaar the Government Printer, B(ls~ van die Staatsdrukker, Bosman­ man Street, Pretoria. straat, Pretoria. Geological map in colour on a Geologiese kaart in kleur op 'n scale of I: 125,000 obtainable skaal van I: 125.000 apart ver­ separately at the price of 60c. krygbaar teen die prys van 60c. & .r.::-~ h'd'~, '!!~l p,'-' r\ f: ~ . ~) t,~ i"'-, i CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT ........................ ' ••• no ..........' ........" ... • • • • • • • • •• 1 I. INTRODUCTION........ •.••••••••.••••••••.....••...•.•..••••..• 3 II. PHYSIOGRAPHY................................................ 4 A. ToPOGRAPHY..... • • . • • . • . • • . • • • . • • . • . • • • • • . • • • • • . • • • • • • ... 4 B. DRAINAGE.................................................... 6 C. CLIMATE ..........•.••••.•••••.••....................... ,.... 7 D. VEGETATION .••••.•••••.•.........•..... , ..............•... , . 7 III. GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS ....................
    [Show full text]
  • 1 a Report on an Archaeological Impact
    Archaetnos Culture & Cultural Resource Consultants BK 98 09854/23 A REPORT ON AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED TUMELO COLLIERY PROJECT APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE PARTIAL PILLAR EXTRCTION, MIDDELBURG, MPUMALANGA PROVINCE For: CABANGA CONCEPTS E-mail: [email protected] REPORT NO.: AE02019V By: Prof. A.C. van Vollenhoven (L.AKAD.SA.) Accredited member of ASAPA (Accreditation number: 166) Accredited member of SASCH (Accreditation number: CH001), Johan Smit, BA (Hons) & Daniël Viljoen , BA (Hons) 30 April 2020 Archaetnos P.O. Box 55 GROENKLOOF 0027 Tel: 083 291 6104 Fax: 086 520 4173 E-mail: [email protected] Member: AC van Vollenhoven BA, BA (Hons), DTO, NDM, MA (Archaeology) [UP], MA (Culture History) [US], DPhil (Archaeology) [UP], Man Dip [TUT], D Phil (History) [US] 1 SUBMISSION OF REPORT Please note that the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) or one of its subsidiary bodies needs to comment on this report. It is the client’s responsibility to do the submission via the SAHRIS System on the SAHRA website. Clients are advised not to proceed with any action before receiving the necessary comments from SAHRA. DISCLAIMER Although all possible care is taken to identify all sites of cultural importance during the survey of study areas, the nature of archaeological and historical sites is as such that it always is possible that hidden or subterranean sites could be overlooked during the study. Archaetnos and its personnel will not be held liable for such oversights or for costs incurred as a result thereof. Should it be necessary to visit a site again as a result of the above mentioned, an additional appointment is required.
    [Show full text]
  • Kruger National Park River Research: a History of Conservation and the ‘Reserve’ Legislation in South Africa (1988-2000)
    Kruger National Park river research: A history of conservation and the ‘reserve’ legislation in South Africa (1988-2000) L. van Vuuren 23348674 Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Magister Artium in History at the School of Basic Sciences, Vaal Triangle campus of the North-West University Supervisor: Prof J.W.N. Tempelhoff May 2017 DECLARATION I declare that this dissertation is my own, unaided work. It is being submitted for the degree of Masters of Arts in the subject group History, School of Basic Sciences, Vaal Triangle Faculty, North-West University. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination in any other university. L. van Vuuren May 2017 i ABSTRACT Like arteries in a human body, rivers not only transport water and life-giving nutrients to the landscape they feed, they are also shaped and characterised by the catchments which they drain.1 The river habitat and resultant biodiversity is a result of several physical (or abiotic) processes, of which flow is considered the most important. Flows of various quantities and quality are required to flush away sediments, transport nutrients, and kick- start life processes in the freshwater ecosystem. South Africa’s river systems are characterised by particularly variable flow regimes – a result of the country’s fluctuating climate regime, which varies considerably between wet and dry seasons. When these flows are disrupted or diminished through, for example, direct water abstraction or the construction of a weir or dam, it can have severe consequences on the ecological process which depend on these flows.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence from the Sabie and Olifants Rivers, Eastern South Africa
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Salford Institutional Repository Sediment Dynamics from the Summit to the Sea (Proceedings of a symposium held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 1 11–14 December 2014) (IAHS Publ. 367, 2014). Long-term flood controls on semi-arid river form: evidence from the Sabie and Olifants rivers, eastern South Africa GEORGE HERITAGE1, STEPHEN TOOTH2, NEIL ENTWISTLE3 & DAVID MILAN4 1 AECOM. Exchange Court, 1 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2ET, UK [email protected] 2 UK Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Llandinam Building, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK 3 University of Salford, Peel Building, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK 4 Department of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK Abstract Rivers in the Kruger National Park, eastern South Africa, are characterised by bedrock-influenced ‘macrochannels’ containing variable alluvial thicknesses and riparian vegetation assemblages. Evidence from the Sabie and Olifants rivers suggests that flows up to moderate floods (<3500 m3 s-1) tend to result in net alluviation, with sediments gradually covering the underlying bedrock. More extreme floods strip alluvium and erode bedrock, effectively exerting the primary control over long-term river morphologic development. On the Olifants River, post-flood aerial LIDAR imagery reveals that the 2012 extreme flood (~14000 m3 s-1) resulted in extensive stripping of stored alluvial sediment, exposing and eroding the underlying weathered bedrock. On the Sabie River, preliminary optically stimulated luminescence ages for remnant alluvium are all less than 1000 years, highlighting typical timescales of sediment storage.
    [Show full text]
  • Olifants River Water Resources Development Project (Orwrdp)
    DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY DIRECTORATE OPTIONS ANALYSIS REPORT NO.: P WMA 04/B50/00/3204 OLIFANTS RIVER WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (ORWRDP) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (12/12/20/553) INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE Final June 2005 Compiled by: Compiled for: Environmental Assessment Technologies CC ACER (Africa) Environmental Management Consultants/ P.O. Box 74564 CSIR Environmentek Lynnwood Ridge PO Box 503 0040 Mtunzini 3867 Olifants River Water Resources Development Project i Environmental Assessment REPORT DETAILS Project name: Olifants River Water Resources Development Project Environmental Impact Assessment: Report Title: Infrastructure Development Specialist Study: Strategic Perspective Authors: JS Ballot Departmental report reference no.: P WMA 04/B50/00/3204 PSP project reference no.: ORWRDP Strategic Perspective Specialist Study Status of report: Final First issue: April 2005 Final issue: June 2005 Environmental Assessment Technologies Approved for PSP by: JS Ballot Date Study Leader INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Accepted by the Independent Environmental Consultant by: Dr PJ Ashton Date Dr R-D Heinsohn Date EIA Co-Leader EIA Co-Leader PROJECT CO-ORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT TEAM Accepted by the PCMT by: MS Basson Date Project Co-ordinator and Manager DEPARTMENT WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY Accepted for DWAF by: OJS van den Berg Date LS Mabuda Date Manager: Options Analysis (North) Senior Manager: Options Analysis Strategic Perspective Olifants River Water Resources Development Project ii Environmental Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Olifants River Water Resources Development Project (ORWRDP) consists of two phases. Phase 1 is currently underway. Its main component is the raising of the Flag Boshielo Dam. Phase 2 will consist of a major dam at De Hoop and the construction of other infrastructure such as pipelines, specifically within the Middle Olifants region.
    [Show full text]
  • State of the Rivers Report Obtainable From
    State of the Rivers Report Obtainable from: Water Research Commission PO Box 824 PRETORIA 0001 ISBN: 1 86845 689 7 Printed in the Republic of South Africa 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. r State of the Rivers Report Crocodile, Sahie-Stznd & Olifants River Systems A report of the River Health Programme http://www.csir.co.za/rhp/ WRC Report No, IT 147/01 March 2001 Participating Organisations ami Programmes Department ofWater Affairs and forestry Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Water Research Commission CSIR Etivironmentek Mpumatanga Parks Hoard Krtiger \ational Park Working for Water Programme (Atpitma/anga) Biomonitoring Serrices Steering Group Steve Mitchell Henk van Vliet Rudi Pretorius Alison I low man Joban de Beer Editorial Team Anna Balhince Liesl Hill Dirk Roux Mike Silherhauer Wilma Strydom Technical Contributions Andrew Deacon Gerhard Diedericks Joban Fngelbrecht Neels K/eynhaus Anton Linstrb'm Tony Poulter Francois Roux Christa Thirion Photographs Allan Batcl.wtor Andrew Deacon Anuelise (,'erher Neels Kleynhans Liesl Hill Johann Mey Dirk Roux loretta Steyn Wilma Strydom F.rnita van Wyk Design Loretta Steyn Graphic Design Studio Contents The Hirer Health Programme 7 A new Witter Act for South Africa 2 An Overview of the Study Area 4 River Indicators and Indices 6 Indices in this Report 8 The Crocodile River System Ecoregions and River Characteristics . 10 Present Ecological State 12 Drirers <>t Eco/miii/i/ Ch/un'i' 14 Desired Ecological State 16 The Sabie-Sand River System Ecoregions and River Characteristics .
    [Show full text]
  • Water Quality of Flag Boshielo Dam, Olifants River, South Africa: Historical Trends and the Impact of Drought
    Water quality of Flag Boshielo Dam, Olifants River, South Africa: Historical trends and the impact of drought J Dabrowski1,2*, PJ Oberholster1,3 and JM Dabrowski2 1Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, P/Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa 2CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa 3CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 320, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa ABSTRACT Increasing demands for water, discharge of effluents, and variable rainfall have a negative impact on water quality in the Olifants River. Crocodile and fish mortalities attributed to pansteatitis, in Loskop Dam and downstream in the Kruger National Park (KNP), have highlighted the serious effects these impacts are having on aquatic ecosystems. Flag Boshielo Dam is a reservoir on the Olifants River, located between Loskop Dam and the KNP. It has the largest crocodile population outside of the KNP, and pansteatitis has not been reported in fish or crocodiles to date. This study evaluated comparative water quality parameters concurrent to a similar study undertaken at Loskop Dam to establish possible environmental drivers of pansteatitis. Long-term monitoring data collected by the Department of Water Affairs were analysed for trends using a Seasonal-Kendall trend test. Short-term monitoring showed that water quality in Flag Boshielo Dam was of a good standard for ecosystem health. Concentrations of dissolved Cu, Se, V and Zn were always below instrument detection limits, and Al, Fe and Mn were mostly within guideline levels for ecosystem health. A severe drought occurred between November 2002 and December 2005.
    [Show full text]
  • Literature Review of Climate Resilience in the Mozambique Portion of the Limpopo/Olifants River Basin
    AWARD Tech Report 10 Series Literature Review of Climate Resilience in the Mozambique Portion of the Limpopo/Olifants River Basin Verde Azul June 2016 © 2017 The Association for Water and Rural Development Acknowledgements The USAID: RESILIM-O project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under USAID/Southern Africa RESILIENCE IN THE LIMPOPO BASIN PROGRAM (RESILIM). The RESILIM-O project is implemented by the Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD), in collaboration with partners. Cooperative Agreement nr AID-674-A-13-00008. © Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD) Authors Verde Azul June 2016 Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD) P O Box 1919 Hoedspruit 1380 Limpopo, South Africa T 015-793 0503 W award.org.za Company Reg. No. 98/03011/08 Literature review of climate resilience in the Mozambique portion of the Limpopo/Olifants |2 river basin Contents 1 Introductory Note .................................................................................... 4 2 Location of the Limpopo River Basin ............................................................. 4 3 Biophysical Features of the Limpopo River Basin .............................................. 6 3.1 Climatic Conditions ............................................................................. 6 3.2 Topography ....................................................................................... 9 3.3 Geology ......................................................................................... 10 3.4 Soils .............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Technical Note: Hydrological Review of the Olifants River Catchment
    Technical Note: Hydrological Review of the Olifants River Catchment 1. Introduction The Olifants Basin is a principal sub-catchment of the Limpopo River. It rises in the north of South Africa (in the province of Mpumalanga) and flows north-east (through Northern Province) into Mozambique (Figure 1). In South Africa, significant mining, industrial and agricultural activities (including intensive irrigation schemes) are concentrated within the catchment, so it is of considerable importance for the country’s economy. In compliance with the National Water Act (1998) and National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS), it is planned to establish a Catchment Management Agency to manage the water (DWAF, 2002). This Agency will be responsible for managing water resources to the point where the Olifants river flows into Mozambique. DWAF and the Limpopo Permanent Technical Committee are currently involved in discussions to determine downstream flow requirements in Mozambique, but at the present time there is no accepted international agreement specifying trans-boundary flow requirements. The Letaba River, a major tributary that rises in South Africa but joins the Olifants in Mozambique, will not be included in the Olifants Water Management Area. For this reason, and because most previous studies have not included the Letaba River, the information presented in this technical note focuses only on the region (54,308 km2) that will be incorporated in the Olifants Water Management Area, hereafter simply referred to as the Olifants catchment. This note comprises a review of existing data and a brief discussion of the main hydrological issues pertaining to the Olifants catchment. 2. Catchment Description A detailed description of the biophysical and demographic characteristics of the Olifants catchment is presented in de Lange et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Surface/Groundwater Interaction: Using Water Balancing, Hydraulic Modeling and Real-Time Monitoring to Develop a Truly Integrated Decision Support System (IDSS)
    Surface/groundwater interaction: Using water balancing, hydraulic modeling and real-time monitoring to develop a truly Integrated Decision Support System (IDSS) C. Seago1, L.C. Hattingh1, B. Mwaka2, R. Cai2, F. Botha2 1WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria, South Africa 2Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Directorate: Water Resource Planning Systems, Pretoria, South Africa Abstract In drier parts of Southern Africa, water reservoir releases into riverbeds often lead to significant losses of flow volumes (river losses) and result in supply shortages for downstream water users. River losses occur as a result of a number of underlining variables and these variables need to be identified and quantified. The Blyde River and Olifants River Systems (BRORS), in northern South Africa show such river losses. In an effort to improve water release efficiency, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa (DWAF) initiated a study to develop integrated water resource operating rules. The BRORS is characterized by relative sandy river channels and leakage from river channels to the subsurface may contribute to substantial river losses. As part of the study an operating analysis will be carried out for the System using the water resource planning model. The river loss dependant variables for use with the water resources planning model will be determined using hydrodynamic modeling. This process involves three distinct steps, namely, water balancing, hydraulic modeling and monitoring. However, key to calibrating the model is real-time monitoring data to understand the dynamic flows between surface and groundwater. Real-time monitoring data were obtained by releasing water from the Blyderivierspoort Dam, and decreases in flow volumes were measured at a number of weirs.
    [Show full text]