Aquatic Study, Wetland Delineation and Dam Assessment for ALBERTS
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Aquatic study, wetland delineation and dam assessment for ALBERTS FARM DAM ON THE REMAINDER OF THE FARM WATERVAL 211 IQ June 2019 Compiled by: Mr Bertus Fourie (M.Sc. Aquatic Health, Pri.Sci.Nat) Wetland Report: Alberts Farm dam June 2019 1 of 80 pages DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE I, Bertus Fourie, declare that - I am subcontracted as specialist consultant by Galago Environmental cc. for the aquatic ecosystem delineation. I will perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the applicant; I declare that there are no circumstances that may compromise my objectivity in performing such work; I have expertise in conducting the specialist report relevant to this application, including knowledge of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), regulations and any guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; I will comply with the Act, regulations and all other applicable legislation; I will take into account, to the extent possible, the matters listed in Regulation 8; I have no, and will not engage in, conflicting interests in the undertaking of the activity; I undertake to disclose to the applicant and the competent authority all material information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing - any decision to be taken with respect to the application by the competent authority; and - the objectivity of any report, plan or document to be prepared by myself for submission to the competent authority; All the particulars furnished by me in this form are true and correct; and I realise that a false declaration is an offence in terms of Regulation 71 and is punishable in terms of section 24F of the Act. Bertus Fourie SACNASP Reg. No: 300025/13 COPYRIGHT Copyright to the text and other matter, including the manner of presentation, is the exclusively the property of the author. It is a criminal offence to reproduce and/or use, without written consent, any matter, technical procedure, and/or technique contained in this document. Criminal and civil proceedings will be taken as a matter of strict routine against any person and/or institution infringing the copyright of the author and/or proprietors. Wetland Report: Alberts Farm dam June 2019 2 of 80 pages TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 9 1.1. BUFFERS AS PER GDARD GUIDELINES.......................................................... 12 1.2. SCOPE OF WORK ......................................................................................... 17 2. ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS .............................................................. 17 3. SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION ........................................................... 18 3.1. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES ................................................................................. 18 3.2. REGIONAL DESCRIPTION AND VEGETATION ..................................................... 18 3.3. CATCHMENT AND ECOREGION DESCRIPTION ................................................... 20 3.4. GEOLOGY AND LAND TYPES .......................................................................... 22 3.5. CATCHMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT ........................................................... 22 3.6. HISTORICAL AND CURRENT USE OF THE PROPERTY ........................................ 23 4. METHODS ....................................................................................................... 24 4.1. ABIOTIC DRIVERS ......................................................................................... 25 4.1.1. Chemical drivers ................................................................................. 25 4.1.2. Physical properties of water ................................................................ 26 4.1.3. Chemical properties of water .............................................................. 27 4.1.4. Bacteriological properties of water ...................................................... 34 4.1.5. Sediment analysis .............................................................................. 34 4.1.6. Physical .............................................................................................. 35 4.2. BIOTIC REAGENTS ........................................................................................ 35 4.2.1. Fauna ................................................................................................. 35 4.2.2. SASS 5 method .................................................................................. 37 4.2.1. Flora ................................................................................................... 38 4.3. INTERPRETATION METHODS .......................................................................... 38 4.3.1. WET-Ecoservices ............................................................................... 38 4.4. CLASSIFICATION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS .................................................... 39 4.5. WETLAND DELINEATION METHODS ................................................................ 39 4.6. DELINEATION OF RIPARIAN EDGE ................................................................... 41 4.7. WETLAND PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE (PES) CALCULATION METHOD ........... 41 4.8. RIPARIAN PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE (PES) CALCULATION METHOD ........... 42 4.9. WETLAND ECOLOGICAL SERVICES (WET-ECOSERVICES)............................... 43 4.10. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY (EIS) CALCULATION ..................... 43 4.11. HISTORICAL AERIAL IMAGERY ........................................................................ 44 5. ABIOTIC RESULTS ........................................................................................ 45 5.1. WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENTS .................................................................... 45 5.2. SEDIMENT ANALYSIS .................................................................................... 48 5.3. BATHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT ......................................................................... 51 6. BIOTIC RESULTS ........................................................................................... 52 6.1.1. Aquatic ecosystem classification (Ollis et al 2013) ............................. 52 6.2. SASS 5 ASSESSMENT .................................................................................. 54 6.3. ICHTHYOFAUNAL ASSESSMENT ...................................................................... 55 6.4. PRESENT ECOLOGICAL SCORE ...................................................................... 56 6.4.1. Present Ecological Score (Wetland IHI) results .................................. 56 6.5. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY .................................................. 57 7. DISCUSSION, IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND GENERAL MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................................................... 59 7.1. IMPACTS ..................................................................................................... 61 7.2. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES ................................................................................. 62 Wetland Report: Alberts Farm dam June 2019 3 of 80 pages 7.3. IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................................................... 67 7.4. ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT .................................................................... 70 7.5. MITIGATION OF PROPOSED IMPACT ................................................................ 72 7.5.1. Site specific mitigation measures ....................................................... 72 7.5.2. Mitigation of impacts using buffers ..................................................... 72 7.6. GENERAL MITIGATION MEASURES .................................................................. 75 8. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................. 77 8.1. ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS ................................................................................ 78 9. REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 78 FIGURES: FIGURE 1: THE TYPES AND LOCATION OF INLAND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS ........................ 10 FIGURE 2: SKETCH INDICATING A CROSS SECTION OF RIPARIAN ZONATION ..................... 12 FIGURE 3: LAYOUT OF A TYPICAL BUFFER AROUND A WETLAND ..................................... 13 FIGURE 4: STUDY SITE LOCATION ............................................................................... 18 FIGURE 5: THE VEGETATION TYPES OF THE STUDY AREA ............................................... 19 FIGURE 6: THE CATCHMENT AND HYDROLOGICAL DATA FOR THE STUDY SITE. ................ 20 FIGURE 7: ECOREGIONS OF THE STUDY SITE ............................................................... 21 FIGURE 8: LAND TYPES OF THE STUDY SITE ................................................................. 22 FIGURE 9: 2001 GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE ...................................................................... 23 FIGURE 10: 2019 GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE ................................................................... 24 FIGURE 11: WATER SAMPLING PROCEDURE ................................................................ 26 FIGURE 12: DESCRIPTION OF THE TOPOGRAPHY OF AN AREA (FROM DWAF, 2005) ....... 40 FIGURE 13: CROSS SECTION THROUGH A WETLAND ..................................................... 40 FIGURE 14: WATER QUALITY