A Water Resources and Sanitation Systems Source Book with Special Reference to Kwazulu-Natal
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A WATER RESOURCES AND SANITATION SYSTEMS SOURCE BOOK WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KWAZULU-NATAL: PART 2 by Peter Glen Alcock Submitted to the Faculty of Science in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Geography at the University of Zululand KwaDlangezwa Promoter: Professor B.E. Kelbe Date submitted: January 1999 Part 2 contains the following: .:.:::~.:.:.:. :.:.:.:.:~.:•.••:.:••.:-, :.:.:<-:.••-••.• Chapter 6: Catchments in Natal/KwaZulu JEIIBIIIII! Chapter 7: Estuaries in Natal/KwaZulu ............•....•~:••. Chapter 8: Wetlands and pans in Natal/KwaZulu ;1'l&llIE'!1 :.:.::<:.:.,.:.:.:<.:.:< .••.••••••••..•...••••.•. Chapter 9: Rainfall 11!.ililll Each chapter has its own contents page/s. The pagination in Part 2 is consecutive. A comprehensive set of contents pages for the entire thesis can be found in Part 1• This thesis consists of the following: • Part 1. Chapters 1 - 5 • Part 2. Chapters 6 - 9 • Part 3. Chapters 10 - 12 • Part 4. Chapters 13 - 15 • Part 5. Chapters 16 - 17 • Part 6. Chapters 18 - 20 CHAPTER 6: CATCHMENTS IN NATALlKWAZULU Of nature, solitude and thoughts that lie deep... Die stem van Suid-Afrika Uit die blou van onse hemel, uit die diepte van ons see, Oar ons ewige gebergtes waar die kranse antwoordgee, Deur ons ver-verlate vlaktes met die kreun van ossewa Ruis die stem van ons gefiefde, van ons land Suid-Afrika. C.J. Langenhoven, quoted in Opperman, D.J., 1991. Junior Verseboek, Tafelberg uitgewers Bpk, Cape Town, 239 p. The land-call I have seen the world's great cities, Heard the thunder of their streets... * * * Yet I long for trackless spaces Where the leaping springbok roam: For the stiffness and the vastness And the distances of home. F.E. Walrond, quoted in Dodd, A.D. and Faulding, Col., [19641. The Poet Sings: an Anthology of Poetry, Juta, Cape Town, 206 p. Drakensberg No fear dwells there, but lasting peace sublime, Enriching life down all the lengths of time. B. Godbold, 1984, quoted in Journal of the Mountain Club of South Africa, No. 87, p. 46. 1 CHAPTER 6: CATCHMENTS IN NATAUKWAZULU Contents 6.1 Introduction ..............•..........•.................•. 4 6.2 Physiographic regions of Natal/KwaZulu 4 6.3 Bioclimatic regions of NatallKwaZulu ........•...•.............. 26 6.4 Geobioclimatic sub-regions in Natal/KwaZulu ........•••......... .. 50 6.5 Catchment management in NatallKwaZulu ...•.......•........... 52 6.5.1 Mountain Catchment Areas ..............•............ 52 6.5.2 The Natal Drakensberg 55 6.5.3 Other catchments ................................ .. 61 6.6 Forestry in Natal/KwaZulu ....•.........•...............•.. .. 63 6.6.1 Commercial afforestation potential in NatallKwaZulu ........ .. 63 6.6.2 Impacts of commercial afforestation •..... ............. .• 67 6.6.3 The afforestation permit system in South Africa ........... .. 72 6.6.4 Some primary publications on grasslands and forests in southern Africa ......•....•.......•...................... 79 6.7 Conservation areas and categories in NatallKwaZulu .•.............. 87 6.7.1 Other nature reserves in Natal ..........•.............. 104 6.7.2 Biosphere reserves in NatallKwaZulu ......•............ .. 108 6.7.3 Wetlands of International Importance in NatallKwaZulu ..•... .. 109 6.7.4 The South African Natural Heritage Programme 111 6.7.5 Sites of Conservation Significance in Natal •...........•... 115 6.7.6 Conservancies in Natal .......................•....•. 119 6.7.7 Metropolitan Open Space System (M.O.S.S.) areas in Natal ..... 130 6.7.8 State forests in Natal and conservation areas within the forests .. 132 6.7.9 Protected areas and indigenous forests in KwaZulu ......... .. 133 Tables Table F1: Physiographic regions and sub-regions of NatallKwaZulu ..•....... 5 Table F2: Physiographic regions of Maputaland 25 Table F3: Bioclimatic regions of Natal/KwaZulu 28 Table F4: Monthly distribution of rainfall plus other climatic data and present vegetation in each bioclimatic group in NatallKwaZulu 38 2 Tables (continued) Table F5: Further data on bioclimatic groups in NatallKwaZulu .•......... .. 46 Table F6: Correlation of physiographic regions. bioclimatic groups and mean annual runoff density in NatallKwaZulu ........•...•....... .. 47 Table F7: Some important geobioclimatic sub-regions in Natal/KwaZulu .•.... 50 Table F8: Summary of use and management guidelines for zones of the Natal Drakensberg ....................•.....••........... .. 57 Table F9: Some catchment afforestation data for NatallKwaZulu .•......... 64 Table F10: Veld types (Acocks. 1975) which would be affected by future afforestation and their present nature conservation status in Natal. 1990 .....•..........•.•...•..•................... 69 Table Fl1: Conservation status of indigenous forests in NatallKwaZulu (forests > 50 ha) 70 Table F12: Afforestation permits allocated from June 1972 - October 1986 in relation to the area planted before June 1972 and to the biological potential after 1975 - with reference to NatallKwaZulu ......... .. 74 Table F13: Nature reserves in Natal controlled by the Natal Parks Board. 1994 .. 90 Table F14: Game reserves in Natal controlled by the Natal Parks Board. 1994 . .. 99 Table F15: Game parks and (national) parks in Natal controlled by the Natal Parks Board. 1994 ....................•.•................. 101 Table F16: Marine reserves in Natal controlled by the Natal Parks Board. 1994 .. 103 Table F17: Conservation areas on former South African Development Trust land in Natal and previously controlled by the (since defunct) Department of Development Aid. 1994 •.........•.•..•............•..• 104 Table F18: Some nature reserves in Natal owned or administered by local authorities. the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa and the South African Nature Conservation Centre (now the Delta Environmental Centre). 1989 .....................................•...•... 106 Table F19: Biosphere reserves in NatallKwaZulu. 1994 ....••........... .. 109 Table F20: Wetlands of International Importance in NatallKwaZulu. 1993 ....•. 110 Table F21: South African Natural Heritage Sites in Natal. 1993 .........••.. 112 Table F22: Sites of Conservation Significance in Natal. 1993 .......•.•..•• 115 3 Tables (continued) Table F23: Conservancies in Natal, 1994 ••..•••••.••..•••••••••••••• 120 Table F24: State forests including wilderness areas in Natal, controlled by the Natal Parks Board. 1994 •••••••••••.•••••••••••.•.••.••••••• 133 Table F25: Conservation areas in Natal State forests. controlled by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 1993 •.•••.••••••..•..••••..• 136 Table F26: Game. nature. forest and freshwater reserves in KwaZulu. 1993 ••.• 138 Table F27: Some proclaimed indigenous forests in KwaZulu ••••.•••••••••• 140 .-.-.- -•••.••..•••••.•••••._ ,•.••.•.•,.,.'.'.:""':.'-":.:':-'-:.:.:.:.:-'~:: 4 6.1 Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the physiographic regions/sub regions and bioclimatic groups/sub-regions of Natal/KwaZulu - as a means of classifying the landscape - before some catchmentmanagement issues (including afforestation) are discussed. Selected information is then presented on various categories of protected land in Natal/KwaZulu. The current chapter also provides useful background data for Chapter 7 (Estuaries) and Chapter 8 (Wetlands and pans). 6.2 Physiographic regions of NatalfKwaZulu Turner (1967, quoted in Phillips, 1973l* originally divided Natal into 43 physiographic sub-regions. Seven major physiographic features incorporating the 43 sub-regions were identified namely, mountain regions, plateau regions, upland regions, basin plainlands, intermediate regions, low-lying regions and coastal regions. With the incorporation of East Griqualand into Natal, a further six physiographic sub-regions were identified, making a total of 49 sub-regions in all (Schulze, 1982l* *. The various sub-regions (excluding those in East Griqualandl are fully described in Phillips {1973l. The physiographic regions and sub-regions are listed in Table F1 (including corresponding bioclimatic sub-regions, discussed laterl. The next table {Table F2l presents further physiographic data on Maputaland, given the importance of the area in terms of conservation proposals, and the general lack of physical data on the Maputaland region. Thereafter, data on bioclimatic groups in NatalfKwaZulu are provided (Tables F3, F4 and F5). Table F6 then outlines a correlation between physiographic regions, bioclimatic groups and mean annual runoff density information. * See Phillips, J., 1973. The agricultural and related development of the TUgela Basin and its influent surrounds: a study in subtropical Africa, Natal Town and Regional Planning Commission Report, VOl 19, Pietermaritzburg, 299 p. and maps. See also, Turner. J.L., 1967. The mapping and study of certain geomorphological features of Natal and its adjacent regions. M.Sc. Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Natal, Pietermaritzbur9. 166 p. ** See Schulze. R.E., 1982. Agrohydrology and climatology of Natal, ACRU Report No. 14, Agricultural Catchments Research Unit, Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 136 p. 5 Table F1: Physiographic regions and sub-regions of Natal/KwaZulu. Physiographic region/sub-region Typical Brief description Occurrence of bioclimatic sub-regions altitude (m) South Tugela North western Basin eastern influent influent surrounds surrounds Mountain regions 1. Lesotho Plateau and the High 2500 - 3 300 The highest landmass in southern