Aquatic Ecosystem Delineation for WATER PIPELINE from THE
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Aquatic ecosystem delineation for WATER PIPELINE FROM THE MAGALIES PIPELINE TO MAROELOESFONTEIN MINE March 2018 Compiled by: Mr Bertus Fourie (M.Sc. Aquatic Health, Pr.Sci.Nat) Aquatic ecosystem Report: Maroeloes water pipeline March 2018 1 of 58 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 Pr.Sci.Nat. Reg. No: 400126/17 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. Aquatic ecosystem Report: Maroeloes water pipeline March 2018 2 of 58 pages TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 9 1.1 BUFFERS .................................................................................................... 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 ................................................... 19 3.4 GEOLOGY AND LAND TYPES .......................................................................... 21 3.5 CATCHMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT ........................................................... 22 4 METHODS FOR CLASSIFICATION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM, THE DELINEATION AND PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE (PES) CALCULATION . 23 4.1 CLASSIFICATION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS .................................................... 23 4.2 WETLAND DELINEATION METHODS ................................................................ 23 4.3 DELINEATION OF RIPARIAN EDGE ................................................................... 24 4.4 WETLAND PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE (PES) CALCULATION METHOD ........... 25 4.5 RIPARIAN PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE (PES) CALCULATION METHOD ........... 26 4.6 WETLAND ECOLOGICAL SERVICES (WET-ECOSERVICES)............................... 26 4.7 ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY (EIS) CALCULATION ..................... 27 4.8 HISTORICAL AERIAL IMAGERY ........................................................................ 28 5 RESULTS ........................................................................................................ 29 5.1 AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS AS IN LINE WITH DWA 2005 ....................... 29 5.1.1 Topography associated with the watercourse ........................................ 30 5.1.2 Vegetation; especially changes in the composition of communities found on site .............................................................................................................. 31 5.1.3 Alluvial soils and deposited materials .................................................... 32 5.2 AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM DICHOTOMOUS KEY CLASSIFICATION .............................. 32 5.3 HISTORICAL AND CURRENT USE OF THE PROPERTY ........................................ 34 5.3.1 Impacts .................................................................................................. 35 5.4 PES AND ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY ................................... 36 5.4.1 Wetland IHI results ................................................................................. 36 5.4.2 Ecological Importance and Sensitivity .................................................... 37 6 DISCUSSION, IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND GENERAL MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................................................... 39 6.1 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................................................... 44 6.2 GENERAL NOTICE 509 OF THE NATIONAL WATER ACT (1998) ......................... 47 6.3 MITIGATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS .............................................................. 50 6.3.1 Site specific mitigation measures ........................................................... 50 6.3.2 Mitigation of impacts using buffers ......................................................... 50 6.4 GENERAL MITIGATION MEASURES .................................................................. 51 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................. 53 7.1 ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS ................................................................................ 55 8 REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 56 Aquatic ecosystem Report: Maroeloes water pipeline March 2018 3 of 58 pages FIGURES: FIGURE 1: THE TYPES AND LOCATION OF INLAND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS (OLLIS, ET AL., 2013) 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, AS AVAILABLE FROM DWA RQS SERVICES. ......................................................................................... 20 FIGURE 7: ECOREGIONS OF THE STUDY SITE ........................................................................ 20 FIGURE 8: LAND TYPES OF THE STUDY SITE .......................................................................... 22 FIGURE 9: DESCRIPTION OF THE TOPOGRAPHY OF AN AREA (FROM DWAF, 2005) .................. 24 FIGURE 10: CROSS SECTION THROUGH A WETLAND .............................................................. 24 FIGURE 11: THE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS OF THE STUDY SITE .................................................. 29 FIGURE 12: “SHOW ELEVATION PROFILE” FOR THE RIPARIAN AREA. NOTE THE VALLEY CREATED BY THE SLOPES, WITH THE RIPARIAN AREAS CONFINED TO THE LOWEST POINT. ................. 30 FIGURE 13: “SHOW ELEVATION PROFILE” FOR THE CHANNELLED VALLEY BOTTOM- ARROW INDICATING THE LOWEST POINT IN THE SYSTEM ON SITE .................................................. 30 FIGURE 14: THE RIPARIAN AREA WITH THE LARGE TREES SURROUNDING- NOTE ALLUVIAL SANDS IN BETWEEN THE LARGE BOULDERS. .............................................................................. 31 FIGURE 15: NOTE THE INCREASED GREEN AREAS IN THE FIGURE. THESE ARE LARGE TREES .... 31 FIGURE 16: THE OLDEST USABLE GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE OF THE SITE FROM 2002 .................. 34 FIGURE 17: GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE FROM 2017 ................................................................... 34 FIGURE 18: HISTORICAL AERIAL IMAGE, APPROXIMATELY OVERLAID IN GOOGLE EARTH. .......... 35 FIGURE 19: THE PROPOSED CROSSING OF THE BIERSPRUIT .................................................. 41 FIGURE 20: BRIDGE AT BIERSPRUIT SUPPORT DETAIL (DETAIL 2-2 OF FIGURE 19) ................... 42 FIGURE 21: PROPOSED CROSSING OF THE CHANNELLED VALLEY BOTTOM WETLAND ............... 43 FIGURE 22: DETAILED DESIGN OF ANCHOR POINTS ................................................................ 44 FIGURE 23: THE SEQUENTIAL NATURE OF EROSION, SEDIMENTATION AND FLOODING ............... 44 FIGURE 24: PROPOSED BUFFERS OF THE STUDY SITE- IS THE 1:100 YEAR FLOOD LINE. ........... 50 FIGURE 25: THE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM DELINEATION MAP OF THE STUDY SITE ......................... 55 Aquatic ecosystem Report: Maroeloes water pipeline March 2018 4 of 58 pages TABLES: TABLE 1: BUFFER