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Ifigure ES-. Potential Impact Area for the Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation Project I I I KINGDOM OF LESOTHO IPublic Disclosure Authorized MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES I WATER AND SEWERAGE AUTHORITY I I I Public Disclosure Authorized I WATER SECTOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT I MASERU BULK WATER SUPPLY AUGMENTATION I ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT I (REVISED) :1Public Disclosure Authorized 1:1 February 2004 '!I I' I Public Disclosure Authorized .1; (I.SMEC I~ SMEC INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD in collaboration with I -.-.- ...1 C . ;~..,. -................... ... rnpy WATER SECTOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MASERU BULK WATER SUPPLY AUGMENTATION ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (REVISED) February 2004 Submitted in accordance with requirements of The Government of Lesotho, Environment Act No. 15 of 2001, Section 27 (1) and The World Bank, Operational Policy 4.01 (Environmental Assessment) , 4 SMEC SMEC INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD in collaboration with FM ASSOCIATES WASA: WSIP: Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation: Environmental Assessment ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SMEC International and FM Associates acknowledge the assistance provided by numerous individuals in Maseru and elsewhere in Lesotho, and especially the following. From WASA - Mr. J. Mohosho, Mr. M. Lerotholi, Mr. S. Panyane, Mr. S. Sekhonyana, Mr. M. Tsaaso, Mr. K. Letsatsi, Mrs. M. Pholo, Miss M. Makhaba and Mr. M. Makoa; from the Department of Water Affairs - Mr. M. Mojakisane, Mr. K. Ramasoeu, Mrs M. Damane and Mr. J. Kgaba; from the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority - Mr. T. Ts'ehlo, Mr. G. Mokebe, Mr. S. Makhetha and Mrs. P. Sebota.. The EA team appreciates the helpful interest of Mr. E. Lesoma, Commissioner of Water, and Mr. J. Neuman, Water Resources Advisor. The Environmental Assessment was prepared by S. Hirst, N.Mashologu, M.Deliri, N.Mudge, J.Rall, B.Randell and N.Jacobsen. SMEC InternationaUlFMAssociates WASA: WSIP: Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation: Environmental Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation (MBWSA) is a multi-component project designed to be undertaken by the Water & Sewerage Authority (WASA) and meet the short-term water supply needs for Maseru, capital city of the Kingdom of Lesotho, for the next 4-7 years by improving the supply of treated water and by improving the reserve capacity of raw water in dry seasons. The MBWSA is a part of the larger Lesotho Water Sector Improvement Project (WSIP) which includes capacity-building and support for institutional development. The MBWSA has been assigned a Category 'B' rating under the World Bank Operational Policy 4.01 (Environmental Assessment) and therefore requires a comprehensive environmental assessment (EA). The objectives of this EA are to identify probable impacts that the project will have on aspects of the social and biophysical environment, identify and recommend measures required to prevent, minimise, mitigate or compensate for adverse impacts. The EA includes environmental management options. The EA concludes that the MBWSA could have a number of significant impacts involving water quality, public health and riverine flows and habitats. These are amenable to some extent to mitigation and, if effective, would result in the benefits of the MBWSA outweighing any negative impacts by a wide margin. PROJECT COMPONENTS The MBWSA (Figure ES-I) is expected to consist of the following components: 1. Augmentation of the Mohokare River intake - new intake, pumping station and rising main to increase the river extraction rate from the present design maximum of 300 Us to -1200 I/s; 2. Construction of a new water treatment plant (WTP) next to Maqalika Dam; 3. Construction of a new pumping station next to Maqalika Dam; 4. Construction of a new treated water main from the Maqalika WTP to the existing Medium North Reservoir, 5. Upgrade of the Medium North Pump Station located at the Low North Reservoir site; 6. Expansion of the Medium North Reservoir; and 7. Expansion of the water reticulation system and connections to the Mazenod peri-urban area. 8. Intermittent augmentation of low flows in the Mohokare River through water releases from 'Muela Reservoir located on a small tributary of the Mohokare -140km upstream of Maseru. COMPLIANCE WITH WORLD BANK SAFEGUARD POLICIES The MBWSA would trigger four World Bank safeguard policies. 1. EnvironmentalAssessment - a full EA is required, has been undertaken and will be subject to a full review and approval process. A recommendation for disclosure to all interested and affected parties has been included. 2. Safety of Dams - a safety inspection of Maqalika Dam (which is classed as a "small dam") was undertaken in 2002 and the dam is regarded as structurally sound. A number of measures related to the design of downstream infrastructure (roads, road bridge, pump station) have been recommended. 'Muela Dam, source of augmentation flows, is subject to routine safety inspections by the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. SMEC InternationaUlFMAssociates WASA: WSIP: Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation: Environmental Assessment Maqalika Pump Station- | jC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~(upgraded) U Maqalika WTPp Maseru WTP (new) Medium North | (existing) Reseoir&Pump ...................................rupqraded) I - m7 s. ' . 2 Statio.lupgradd)Station 4 Maqalika Dam - MAS R (existing); i I A_ ' -<z/s. rz I 4. I~~~~ 4L 4. J. ~--txW_ I 1- \ i;>*>'f.i | ~~eno~ ~ ~ sanoengPump Station xt - | 8 t41AU | - . + __S- - _-l I +!I ' ;t i ;Mazenod Reservoir Moshoshoel I . 1. International II - B ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- IFigure ES-. Potential impact area for the Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation Project. SMEC InternionlFMAssociates WASA: WSIP: Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation: Environmental Assessment 3. Projects on International Waterways - the underlying requirement in the OP is for communica- tion of project design and implementation features to downstream riparian states so that they can conduct reviews and transmit their specific concerns. Large existing reservoirs in the Mohokare River below the proposed MBWSA works will limit any impacts to regional areas within Lesotho and South Africa. This EA makes a recommendation that a copy of the EA be made available to the South African authorities (Department of Water Affairs & Forestry). 4. Involuntary Resettlement - although no requirement is foreseen for the involuntary resettlement of communities as outlined in OP 4.12, the policy is triggered by the potential impacts on livelihoods resulting from land acquisition and pipe-laying activities. COMPLIANCE WITH LESOTHO ENVIRONMENT ACT The EA is the first step in compliance with the environmental assessment requirements of the national Environment Act (No. 15 of 2001). It includes a project brief stipulated in the legislation. This EA will have to be submitted to the environmental authority (currently the National Environment Secretariat) for review, approval and award of an EIA licence. BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Project Location The MBWSA will be situated in the eastern sector of Maseru, adjacent to the Mohokare River which forms the international boundary between Lesotho and South Africa. The area is typical of the Lesotho lowlands and consists of small hills and low ridges with rolling terrain covered by grassland and extensive urban and peri-urban settlements, and dissected by small drainages. Local elevation is 1400-1550masl. The general area receives about 700mm rainfall per year and there are distinct wet and dry seasons. Local geological formations are predominantly sandstone and derived soils are erodible and low to moderate in fertility. Mohokare River The Mohokare River is the major river daring the entire western Lesotho-eastem Free State region and is a major tributary of the Orange (Gariep) River. Mean annual runoff at the point of proposed water abstraction is 990 Mm3, rising to 1100 Mm3 below the confluence of several tributaries flowing out of Lesotho. Sediment loads transported by the river are calculated to be about 1000 tonnes/km 2/year in the upper reaches, dropping to nearer 600 tonnesfkm2 /year near Welbedacht, a heavily sedimented reservoir some 100km downstream of Maseru. Many of the Mohokare tributaries on the Free State side are dammed. Irrigation withdrawals from the Mohokare are not monitored; -6000 ha in the Free State are irrigated from the river and its tributaries. The rivel reaches adjacernt to the project area are low-grade alluvial channels with prominent deposited alluvial sediments and some fixed boulder beds. Bank erosion varies from moderate to severe, with local land settlement, urbanization and livestock use being the main impacting factors. Morphologically the reach nearest the Maqalika intake site is classed as an "E" (seriously modified, with extensive loss of in-stream habitats) while reaches further down as rated as "D" (largely modified, with large changes in geomorphology and in-stream habitat). Riparian vegetation is dominated by exotic tree and shrub species and species able to withstand human and livestock impacts. Riparian habitats are classified as Class D according to criteria established by the South African National River Health Programme, i.e. largely modified with an associated large loss of natural habitat, biota and basic ecosystem functioning. The Nqoe and Hololo rivers are tributaries of the upper Mohokare, 'Muela Dam being situated in the Nqoe. These rivers are classified as being classes C and D. SMEC International/FMAssociates WASA: WSIP: Maseru Bulk Water Supply Augmentation: Environmental Assessment Maqalika Reservoir Maqalika Reservoir was formed in 1983 when the Maqalika Dam was constructed in
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