Proposed Construction of a Slipway Along the Mthatha River, Eastern Cape
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APPENDIX F PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A SLIPWAY ALONG THE MTHATHA RIVER, EASTERN CAPE DEDEAT REFERECE NO: ORT/544/157/2012-13/006 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Prepared for: Prepared by: Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) Conservation Support Services (CSS) 96 1st Avenue Ncambedlana 61 New Street Mthahta Grahamstown 5099 6139 June 2013 Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 1 2 PROJECT TEAM ......................................................................................................................... 2 3 DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY .................................................................................. 4 4 LOCATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 6 5 ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND GUIDELINES ............................................................... 8 6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................... 9 7 ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................... 10 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS TRAINING .................................................................... 10 ENVIRONMENTAL CODE OF CONDUCT: ......................................................................... 10 MITIGATION SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................... 11 REVEGETATION AND REHABILITATION PLAN ................................................................ 18 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ............................................................................................ 19 ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT .................................................................................................. 19 8 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN .................................................................................. 20 TRAINING FRAMEWORK AND INFORMATION ................................................................. 20 Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page i] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 1 INTRODUCTION Conservation Support Services (CSS) was appointed by the Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) to conduct a Basic Environmental Assessment for the construction of a slipway along the Mthatha River in the Eastern Cape Province. In terms of The National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended in 2006 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010, a Basic Assessment (BA) is required. An application for environmental authorisation has been registered with the Department of Environmental Affairs, Mthatha (ORT/544/157/2012-13/006). The proposed slipway will be constructed approximately 1km upstream from the Second Falls Dam, South East of Mthatha (Figure 1) and will be about 30m long and 2.5m wide (75m2). The slipway will provide the entry and exit point to the Mthatha River for a boat in order for GIB to access the river on a daily basis for the purposes of spraying and eliminating Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) an alien invasive plant. After the plants are sprayed, it is expected that they will submerge and decompose. This EMPr has been prepared in accordance with Regulation 33 of GN R 543 (National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (No. 107 of 1998): Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010. The purpose of the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) is to provide specifications for "good environmental practice" for inclusion into contractual environmental specifications for application during planning, construction and operation phases of the proposed development. Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page 1] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 2 PROJECT TEAM Conservation Support Services (CSS) is a specialist Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Environmental Management company operating out of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Our staff has a collective experience of over 50 years, providing expertise in a number of fields including land cover mapping, modelling and spatial analyses, alien vegetation data capture, Environmental Impact Assessments & management plans, GIS training, social monitoring and resettlement surveys. Contact Details Conservation Support Services (CSS) 61 New Street, Grahamstown, 6139 P.O. Box 504, Grahamstown, 6140 Tel: 046 6224526 Fax: 046 6227931 Email: [email protected] The following people made up the team that prepared this EMPr: Michelle Griffith, Report Review Michelle Griffith, a registered member of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners South Africa, and a registered Professional Natural Scientist with South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions, has 28 years of experience in environmental consulting. After acquiring her MSc (Zoology), Michelle has gained experience in scoping reports, faunal assessments, environmental impact assessments, visual assessments, management plans as well as field work for numerous projects. Michelle has been consulting in the Eastern Cape for over 13 years. Sandy van der Waal, Project Manager, Report Writing Sandy van der Waal has been working as a consultant /scientist for the past five years and has a strong background in interdisciplinary project management, having completed her M.Sc. (Environmental Science) which covered the ecological and economic components of the Umfolozi/ St Lucia systems in KZN. Sandy completed her BSc degree in Ecology & Zoology (UCT), after which she graduated from Rhodes University with her BSc Honours and MSc in Environmental Science. Sandy has extensive training in ecology, environmental impact assessments, wetland assessments and Geographic Information Systems. Recent projects include management of photogrammetric compilation of topographical data for delivery to the Chief Directorate: National Geo-Spatial information, Basic Environmental Assessments, NEMA Section 24 G applications and Water Use Licence Applications. Deborah Vromans, Ecological Specialist Deborah holds an MSc degree in Botany (Estuaries) (NMMU) and a BA degree in Environmental Geographical Sciences (UCT), as well as a National Diploma in Horticulture (Botany) (Cape Technikon). She has 13 years of experience in the environmental sciences and management field, including the biodiversity sector. Deborah is proficient in botanical (terrestrial and aquatic) and wetland assessments, together with GIS mapping. Deborah has been involved in SANParks, GEF funded biodiversity studies, developed municipal biodiversity sector plans, compiled a legislative guide, and led municipal and provincial capacity building workshops. Deborah has conducted numerous Environmental Impact Assessments, Management Plans as well as completed specialist botanical surveys and sensitivity assessments. Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page 2] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 Sean Swanepoel, Public Participation, Report Writing & Review Sean Swanepoel is a consultant/ scientist working in the GIS and conservation sectors. He holds a BSc Honours degree in Environmental Science (Rhodes University) which covered social and economic components of the use of live fences in three small towns of the Eastern Cape. Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page 3] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 3 DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY The Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) is proposing the construction of a slipway approximately 1km upstream from the Second Falls Dam, South East of Mthatha (Figure 1) and will be about 30m long and 2.5m wide (75m2). There is currently an old jeep track providing access to the slipway site for off road vehicles. The slipway will provide the entry and exit point to the Mthatha River for a boat in order for GIB to access the river on a daily basis for the purposes of spraying and eliminating Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) an alien invasive plant. The plants will be sprayed with Kilo max (glyphosphate) from the boat (about 7m long and 2.2m wide and 300kg). After the plants are sprayed, it is expected that they will submerge and decompose. It is the intention that the slipway will be used for a period of five years. Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page 4] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 Figure 1: Topographic map showing the location of the proposed slipway site. Draft Environmental Management Programme: Proposed slipway along the Mthatha River [Page 5] Conservation Support Services – CSS June 2013 4 LOCATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT Topography, Geology and Vegetation The topography of the King Sabata Dalindyebo and Nyandeni Municipalities is incised with large river valleys and floodplains that run in a northwest-southeast axis. The inland areas, which typify the study site, could be described as undulating to hilly, with moderate to steep slopes. The landscape is interspersed with grassland areas and patches of forest, with the river valleys covered by thicket. The predominant geology of the study site is sedimentary rocks of the Karoo Supergroup, underlain by the grey and brownish-red mudstone and sandstone of the Adelaide Subgroup (Beaufort Group) (1:250 000 Geological