DOCSLIB.ORG

An Integrated Manual for the Management, Control and Protection of the Vaal River Barrage Res Ervoir

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Integrated Manual for the Management, Control and Protection of the Vaal River Barrage Res Ervoir i AN INTEGRATED MANUAL FOR THE MANAGEMENT, CONTROL AND PROTECTION OF THE VAAL RIVER BARRAGE RES ERVOIR. by FRANCOIS VAN WYK MINI-DISSERTATION Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER SCIENTAE in GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT in the Faculty of Science at the RAND AFRIKAANS UNIVERSITY Supervisor: Prof. T. Harmse November 2001 ii OPSOMMING. Die Vaalrivierbarragereservoir is in 1923 deur Rand Waterraad voltooi om aan die drinkwaterbehoeftes van die snelgroeiende Witwatersrand te voldoen. Die wateraanvraag gedurende die laaste 15-20 jaar het aansienlik toegeneem, wat geweldige druk op die volhoubaarheid van die Vaalrivier as ‘n drinkwaterbron geplaas het. Die Vaalrivierbarrage dreineer ‘n hoogs ontwikkelde area met intensiewe industriële en mynbouaktiwiteite aan die orde van die dag. Industriële afloopwater wat in die opvangsgebied gegenereer word, het tot gevolg dat die watergehalte in die Barrage reservoir stelselmatig versleg het, wat die voorsiening van hoë kwaliteit drinkwater beïnvloed. Rand Water onderhou ‘n intensiewe hulpbronbestuursisteem om besoedeling van hierdie belangrike waterbron te bekamp. Alhoewel oorwegend meer water uit die Vaaldam gebruik word vir drinkwaterdoeleindes, bly die Barrage reservoir ‘n bron in tye van droogte, en vervul dit ook ‘n addisionele funksie in die sin dat dit een van die mees gesogte areas vir waterverwante rekreasieaktiwiteite in die Witwatersrandgebied is. Rand Water is voorts ook ‘n leier op die gebied van verantwoordelike omgewingsbestuur, en spesiale aandag word ook gewy aan die beskermnig van die akwatiese ekosisteem. Ten einde te verseker dat die water te alle tye geskik is vir bg. Gebruike, vereis ‘n geïntegreerde reservoirbestuursprogram wat ‘n verskeidenheid aspekte insluit. Daar bestaan geen twyfel dat wetgewing ruim voorsiening maak vir die bestuur van die Barrage reservoir nie, en dat Rand Water die aangewese liggaam is om die wette te implementeer nie. Dit is die doel van hierdie skripsie om die verskillende aspekte rondom die bestuur van die Vaalrivierbarragereservoir te identifiseer en te beskryf in ‘n omvattende bestuursplan wat die effektiwiteit van die huidige bestuursaksies sal verbeter. iii ABSTRACT. Keywords: Vaal River Barrage reservoir, integrated resource management, impoundment management. The Vaal River Barrage reservoir (VRBR) was constructed by Rand Water in 1923 for the purpose of ensuring an adequate raw water supply to meet the potable water requirements of the Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Vaal Triangle regions, and today this is still the main purpose of this body of water. Due to the strategic importance of the Vaal River Barrage catchment and the impact of activities in the catchment on water resources, it is seen as of the utmost importance for the authorities to make a joint effort and co-ordinate action to solve problems in the catchment. A number of different acts have reference to the management of the Barrage reservoir. These, together with Rand Water’s internal policies, are collated and described to provide a reference manual for the integrated management of the Vaal River Barrage reservoir. For completeness, all relevant policies are attached as appendices to the document. iv v Figure 1: Satellite image of the Vaal River Barrage catchment vi Table of Contents. Page. 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT 7 3. A HISTORY OF THE VAAL RIVER BARRAGE RESERVOIR 8 3.1 Water Quality 9 3.2 Pollution Control Powers 12 4. CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT IN RAND WATER 14 4.1 Area of Operation 15 4. 2 Approach and Technology 16 4.3 Catchment Management Agency development 17 4.3.1 Water Management Area 17 4.3.2 Catchment Executive Committees 18 4.3.3 Advisory Committees 20 5. LEGISLATION RELATED TO WATER RESOURC E MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA 21 5.1 Rand Water Board Statues (Private) Act 17 of 1950 21 5.2 The Water Act (54) of 1956 24 5.3 The Water Services Act (108) of 1997 24 5.4 The National Water Act (36) of 1998 25 5.5 The Physical Planning Act 26 5.6 The Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (43) of 1983 30 5.7 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 200 of 1993 30 5.7 Environmental Conservation Act. Government Notice No 51, GG No 15428 of 21 January 1994 30 5.9 Water Laws Rationalisation and Amendment Act, No 32 of 1994 31 5.10 Development Facilitation Act, No 67 of 1995 32 vii 5.11 Reconstruction & Development Program (RDP) 32 6. WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE VAAL RIVER BARRAGE RESERVOIR 34 6.1 Background Informa tion 34 6.2 Monitoring and Analyses 35 6.2.1 Selection of sampling sites 35 6.2.2 Selection of variables 37 6.3 Receiving Water Quality Objectives 41 6.3.1 The Role of Water Quality Objectives 42 6.3.2 Identification of Key Water Quality Objectives 43 6.3.3 Rand Water’s requirements for purification purposes 46 6.3.4 Department of Water Affairs & Forestry’s Objectives 47 6.3.5 Determination of Ideal Water Quality Requirements 47 7 WATER QUALITY STATUS OF THE VAAL RIVER BARRAGE RESERVOIR 54 7.1 Salinity 54 7.2 Eutrophication 57 7.3 Biological status 63 7.3.1 Microbiological 63 7.3.2 Hydrobiological 63 7.4 Physical Properties 67 7.5 Pollution events 68 7.5.1 Point Pollution Sources 69 7.5.2 Diffuse Pollution Sources 71 8 IMPOUNDMENT MANAGEMENT 73 8.1 Description of the Vaal River Scheme 73 8.1.1 Impounding Reservoir 73 8.1.2 The Barrage Structure 75 viii 8.1.3 The Barrage Gates 76 8.1.4 Technical Information 77 8.2 Management activities aimed at achieving the fitness for use of water in the Barrage reservoir 77 8.2.1 Routine monitoring of the reservoir 77 8.2.2 Problem centered monitoring 77 8.3 Development Control 78 8.3.1 The Vaal River Complex Guide Plan / Urban Structure Plan 78 8.3.2 Flood line protection 81 8.3.3 Sanitation systems evaluation 85 8.4 Reservoir Maintenance 86 8.4.1 Project Barley 86 8.4.2 Rand Water property (marginal strip) management 87 8.4.3 Aquatic weed control 86 8.5 Recreational activities control 89 8.5.1 Boat density control 89 8.5.2 Special sporting events control 92 8.6 Conservation 92 9. WATER QUANTITY CONTROL MEASURES 95 9.1 Weirs 95 9.2 Normal Operating procedures for the Barrage gates 95 10. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 96 10.1 Modeling 96 ix 10.2 GIS & CIMDSS development 96 11. CUSTOMER FOCUS INITIATIVES 101 11.1 Education 101 11.2 Community involvement 101 11.2.1 Vaal River Safety Association 101 11.2.2 River Property Owners Association 101 11.2.3 Save the Vaal Environment 101 11.2.4 SAPS Water Wing 101 11.2.5 Boat Clubs & Hotels 101 11.2.6 Barrage Reservoir Forum 102 12. CONCLUSIONS 103 13. RECOMMENDATIONS 104 REFERENCES APPENDICES x APPENDICES. 1. Rand Water’s raw water guidelines for operational purposes 2. Recreational water quality report 3. Annexure C of the Vaal River Complex Guide Plan 4. Rand Water’s guidelines for implementation of Annexure C 5. Definition of flood zones 6. Sanitary arrangements for development along the VRBR 7. Conditions for the use of Rand Water’s marginal strip 8. Regulations for boating on the VRBR 9. Rand Water’s powers to control boating 10. Procedure to apply for a boating permit 11. Operating procedures for the Barrage gates xi LIST OF FIGURES. PAGE. Figure: 1. Satellite image of the Barrage Catchment iv 2. Cost breakdown of Rand Water’s major expenses 3 3. Annual increase in raw water price 4 4. Catchment delineation of the Barrage reservoir 15 5. Upper Vaal Water Management Area: Sub -catchments 19 6. Management structure for the Upper Vaal Water Management Area 19 7. Electrical Conductivity changes from Lethabo weir to the Barrage 56 8. Phosphate changes from Lethabo weir to the Barrage 61 9. Nitrate changes from Lethabo weir to the Barrage 61 10. Algal biomass concentrations of the dominant species in the Barrage reservoir 66 11. Mean monthly chlorophyll-a values in the Barrage 66 12. Mean monthly Secchi disc readings in the Barrage reservoir 67 13. Mean monthly turbidity readings in the Barrage reservoir 68 14. Mean monthly COD values in the Barrage reservoir 68 15. Most critical point pollution sources in the Barrage catchment 70 16. Existing Guide plan restrictions 79 17. Proposed Guide plan restrictions 81 18. Proposed new policy for development within flood line 85 19. Daily outflow from the Barrage for the period October 2000 to October 2001 95 20. Example of CIMDSS statistics report 98 21. Example of CIMDS time series graph 99 22. Example of riparian property GIS database 100 xii LIST OF TABLES. PAGE. Table: 1. Original constituents analysed for in the monitoring programme 38 2. Variables selected for the Barrage reservoir monitoring programme 39 3. Variables selected for the Loch Vaal monitoring programme 40 4. Receiving water quality objectives – DWAF 47 5. Receiving water quality objectives – VBCEC 52 6. Components of the combined industrial salt load 54 7. Components of combined mining salt load in the Middle Vaal 55 8. Chlorophyll-a concentrations and dominant algal species in the Barrage 64 9. Average chlorophyll-a values for the Barrage reservoir 65 10. Chlorophyll-a concentrations and dominant algal species in the Loch Vaal 65 11. Average chlorophyll-a values in the Loch Vaal 65 12. Allocation of water stored in the Barrage reservoir 74 13. Dimensions of the Barrage reservoir 75 14. Particulars related to the construction of the Barrage 76 1 1. INTRODUCTION. The history of most, if not all, of the world’s cities are intricately bound up with the need for and assurance of adequate water supplies.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • UPPER VAAL WATER MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA No 8)
    Report Number: P WMA 08/000/00/0304 DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY Directorate: National Water Resource Planning IInntteerrnnaall SSttrraatteeggiicc PPeerrssppeeccttiivvee UUppppeerr VVaaaall WWaateterr MMaannaaggeemmeenntt AArreeaa March 2004 Compiled by: W A T E R R E S O U R C E P L A N N I N G A N D C O N S E FC071R V A T I O N WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, Reg. No. 98/16706/07 WRP_FC332 ISP : UPPER VAAL WMA _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Directorate National Water Resource Planning INTERNAL STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE FOR THE UPPER VAAL WATER MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA No 8) APPROVAL Title : Upper Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective DWAF Report No : P WMA 08/000/00/0304 Consultants : PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 Report Status : Version 1 Version Controller : Mr Walther van der Westhuizen Date : March 2004 Approved for Consultants by: DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY Directorate National Water Resource Planning Approved for Department of Water Affairs and Forestry by: ISP : UPPER VAAL WMA _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ REFERENCE This report is to be referred to in bibliographies as: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Upper Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 08/000/00/0304. INVITATION TO COMMENT This report will be updated on a regular basis until it is eventually superceded by the Catchment Management Strategy.
    [Show full text]
  • The Vaal River Inquiry Provisional Report
    Final Report of the Gauteng Provincial Inquiry Into the Sewage Problem of the Vaal River 17 February 2021 The Vaal Report Executive Summary The South African Human Rights Commission (‘the Commission’) had been alerted to online and print media reports, published during July and August 2018, reporting that raw sewage, from the Emfuleni Local Municipality (‘the Municipality’)’s Rietspruit Waste Water Care and Management Works situated in Vanderbijlpark, the Leewkuil Waste Water Care and Management Works situated in Vereeniging and other areas within the Municipality, had for weeks and months been leaking into and polluting the Vaal River and the Rietspruit. In addition to the raw sewage polluting major and essential bodies of water, the media reports stated, amongst other things, that: the main sewers in Vanderbijlpark were blocked and that raw sewerage was flowing into people’s yards and properties. In September 2018, in order to test the veracity of the media reports, the Commission’s Gauteng Provincial Office conducted an inspection-in-loco at certain sites within the Emfuleni Municipality, and observed: raw sewage flowing in a small stream that cut across the Emfuleni Golf Estate; two burst sewerage pipes on the banks of the Rietspruit that runs through the Emfuleni Municipal area; defective bio-filters at the Rietspruit Waste Water Treatment Works; a clogged sewerage manhole at the Sharpeville Cemetery and children swimming in, and consuming, polluted waters in the area of a school. Having established a prima facie violation of human rights in the Emfuleni Municipality, regarding the flowing of raw, untreated sewage flowing in the streets, homes, graveyards and also flowing into the Vaal River, the Dam, the Barrage and the Rietspruit (referred to collectively as ‘the Vaal’), and acting within its legislative mandate, the Commission established an Inquiry.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Management at a Large Opencast Strip Coal Mine in South Africa
    8th International Congress on Mine Water & the Environment, Johannesburg, South Africa Water management at a large opencast strip coal mine in South Africa D.A. Salmon Principal Engineer, Anglo American Technical Division, Civil Engineering Department PO Box 61587, Marshalltown 2107, South Africa. #$564#%6 Water is a scarce resource in Southern Africa. Potential mining impacts on this resource are crucial to the management of water on the national scale. This paper describes the water management issues and approaches taken by Anglo Coal’s New Vaal Colliery from mine planning through to the full operational stage of the mine. New Vaal Colliery produces up to 15 million sales tons of coal per annum from an opencast strip operation developed adjacent to large residential and industrial areas and to the Vaal Barrage, a strategic surface water resource in Gauteng Province. The mining area also overlies the largest and most utilised aquifer in South Africa, the Transvaal Dolomite. Opencast strip mining takes place in three seams previously mined by underground bord and pillar methods and which were flooded by water treatment effluent prior to re mining. Opencast mining commenced in 1984. This paper describes the geohydrology, water management challenges and the management measures used to overcome the issues of mine flood control, mine drainage, and the prevention of surface and ground water pollution. The hydrology and the geohydrology, the results of water monitoring, pump testing, mine water chemistry determinations, ground water and surface water modeling, prediction of the post mining water scenarios are detailed. In particular, the relationship between three aquifers, river alluvium, Karoo rocks and the Dolomite and the flooded underground workings is described.
    [Show full text]
  • Main Pollutants in the Vaal River Barrage Over the Past 20 Years
    SEASONAL RAINFALL INFLUENCES ON MAIN POLLUTANTS IN THE VAAL RIVER BARRAGE RESERVOIR: A TEMPORAL- SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE By ESTIE OCHSE MINOR DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER ARTIUM In ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT In the FACULTY OF HUMANITIES at the UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG Supervisor: Prof. J.T. Harmse 2007 Page i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following persons for their help and encouragement: o My husband Stefan for his patience and tremendous help during the whole process; o My mother for her ongoing support; o Prof. Harmse for his guidance; and o Mr. F. van Wyk, Head: Catchment Management of Rand Water for providing the water quality monitoring data. Page - ii - ABSTRACT South Africa is situated within a semi-arid part of the world which is characterised by high seasonal variability in terms of rainfall and runoff, with high evaporation rates. This causes streamflow to be relatively low for most of the year, with seasonal sporadic high flows. Further stress is applied to the water resource through population growth, increased urbanisation and industrial activities. The study area is considered to be the most populated of the Upper Vaal Water Management Area (WMA), which is the most important WMA in terms of economic productivity in South Africa. This research report focused on assessing the temporal and spatial variations of pollution between four different sampling points located in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir, which is located in the heart of the Upper Vaal WMA. The Vaal River Barrage Reservoir forms a 64 kilometres long water body with an estimated total storage capacity of 63 million litres of water.
    [Show full text]
  • River, Wetlands, Groundwater and Lakes) in the Upper, Middle and Lower Vaal Water Management Areas (WMA) 8,9,10
    Classification of Significant Water Resources in the Upper Middle and Lower Vaal WMAs Management Class Report Cover Page Management Class Report V14 September 2012 i Classification of Significant Water Resources in the Upper Middle and Lower Vaal WMAs Management Class Report Classification of Significant Water Resources (River, Wetlands, Groundwater and Lakes) in the Upper, Middle and Lower Vaal Water Management Areas (WMA) 8,9,10 MANAGEMENT CLASSES OF THE VAAL RIVER CATCHMENT REPORT: Inception Report Report number: RDM/WMA8,9,10/00/CON/CLA/0212 September 2012 (FINAL) Copyright reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without full acknowledgement of the source REFERENCE This report is to be referred to in bibliographies as: Department of Water Affairs, South Africa, September 2012. Classification of Significant Water Resources (River, Wetlands, Groundwater and Lakes) in the Upper, Middle and Lower Vaal Water Management Areas (WMA) 8, 9, 10: Management Classes of the Vaal River Catchment Report Prepared by: WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd in association with DMM Development Consultants CC, Rivers for Africa eFlows Consulting (Pty) Ltd, Conningarth Economists, Koekemoer Aquatic Services and Zitholele Consulting (Pty) Ltd. Report No. RDM/WMA8,9,10/00/CON/CLA/0212 Management Class Report V14 September 2012 i Classification of Significant Water Resources in the Upper Middle and Lower Vaal WMAs Management Class Report DOCUMENT INDEX Reports as part of this project (report status as in September 2012): Index number
    [Show full text]
  • A Snapshot of the World's Water Quality: Towards a Global Assessment
    www.unep.org United Nations Environment Programme P.O. Box 30552 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Tel.: +254 20 762 1234 Fax: +254 20 762 3927 e-mail: [email protected] www.unep.org A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a global assessment A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a global assessment Quality: Towards Water World’s of the A Snapshot UNEP report UNEP report A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a global assessment | UNEP report XIV Buch_UNEP_vordere_Kapitel_1504.indb 14 09.05.16 17:12 Table of Contents A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a global assessment www.unep.org United Nations Environment Programme P.O. Box 30552 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Tel.: +254 20 762 1234 Fax: +254 20 762 3927 e-mail: [email protected] www.unep.org I Buch_UNEP_vordere_Kapitel_1504.indb 1 09.05.16 17:12 A Snapshot of the World’s Water Quality: Towards a global assessment | UNEP report Copyright © 2016, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) ISBN Number: 978-92-807-3555-0 Job Number: DEW/1975/NA Disclaimers The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP concerning the legal status of any country, territory or city or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. For general guidance on matters relating to the use of maps in publications please go to:http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/ english/htmain.htm Mention of a commercial company or product in this publication does not imply endorsement by the United Nations Environment Programme.
    [Show full text]
  • Quality of Water in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir Date Sampled 10 February 2021
    Quality of Water in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir Date Sampled 10 February 2021 Riviera Vosloo Hotel Klip 3 Park River Dickinson Suikerbosrant Park 1 Riviera Aquatic FW De Klerk 2 Club Bridge SEBOKENG VEREENIGING Rietspruit N Railway Bridge 4 Vaal River Village R59 Bridge Manor VANDERBIJLPARK Emfuleni Eligwa Ascot Bridge Lochvaal 9 Riverside Sun Park Club Club Hotel 5 Lethabo Weir Upstream to Vaal Dam 6 8 Vaalview Vaal River 10 Aquatic Club Baddrift Bridge Vaal River Clavadel 7 Abrahamsrust Caravan Park Resort Luciana Country Club Taaiboschspruit Leeuspruit Toll Free No: 0860 10 10 60 Downstream to Parys Not to Scale SASOLBURG Sample Point Interpretation of the results obtained from water samples collected at the respective sample points (refer map above). Escherichia coli E.coli counts per 100ml at sample points (E.coli) Predicted symptoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 include: 3,076 88 41,060 2,460 3,410 548 72 579 24,810 81 This Skin irritations, infections Week 1,300 58 X 7,710 5,040 308 130 548 X 10 & intestinal disorders* Last Week Low risk of gastrointestinal disorders E.coli < 130 counts/100ml Significant risk of gastrointestinal disorders E.coli 200 – 400 counts/100ml Slight risk of gastrointestinal disorders E.coli 130 – 200 counts/100ml High risk of gastrointestinal disorders E.coli > 400 counts/100ml Blue Green Algae Blue Green algae counts at sample points Predicted symptoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 include: This 2,413 483 40 40 40 311 1,207 483 < 40 121 Skin irritations, infections Week & intestinal disorders* Last 80 40 X 40 186 724 < 40 < 40 X 110 Week Low Risk Blue Green algae < 20,000 cells/ml Moderate Risk Blue Green algae 20,000 – High Risk Blue Green algae > 100,000 cells/ml 100,000 cells/ml Algal pigments expressed as Chlorophyll-a levels at sample points Algal Pigments Predicted nuisance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 conditions include: This 8 3 5 4 7 9 34 35 6 118 Scums & smells Week Last 5 < 2 X 9 9 14 28 39 X 43 Week Low Risk Chlorophyll-a < 15ug/l Moderate Risk Chlorophyll-a 15 - 30ug/l High Risk Chlorophyll-a > 30ug/l * If ingested.
    [Show full text]
  • Sasol Mining Sigma Colliery Ash Backfilling Project, Sasolburg, Free State Province
    Sasol Mining Sigma Colliery Ash Backfilling Project, Sasolburg, Free State Province Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment Report Project Number: SAS5184 Prepared for: Sasol Mining (Pty) Ltd June 2018 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Digby Wells and Associates (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd Co. Reg. No. 2010/008577/07. Turnberry Office Park, 48 Grosvenor Road, Bryanston, 2191. Private Bag X10046, Randburg, 2125, South Africa Tel: +27 11 789 9495, Fax: +27 11 069 6801, [email protected], www.digbywells.com _______________________________________________________________________________________ Directors: GE Trusler (C.E.O), GB Beringer, LF Koeslag, J Leaver (Chairman)*, NA Mehlomakulu*, DJ Otto, RA Williams* *Non-Executive _______________________________________________________________________________________ This document has been prepared by Digby Wells Environmental. Report Type: Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment Report Sasol Mining Sigma Colliery Ash Backfilling Project, Project Name: Sasolburg, Free State Province Project Code: SAS5184 Name Responsibility Signature Date Brett Reimers Report compiler February 2014 Russell Tate Report Compiler February 2014 Andrew Husted Internal Review February 2014 Update and Internal Byron Bester June 2018 Review This report is provided solely for the purposes set out in it and may not, in whole or in part, be used for any other purpose without Digby Wells Environmental prior written consent. Digby Wells Environmental i Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment Report
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons Learned from the Vaal River System Reconciliation Strategy Study
    T.J. Coleman, R.S. McKenzie, J.I. Rademeyer, P.G. van Rooyen Lessons Learned from the Vaal River System Reconciliation Strategy Study T.J. Coleman1, R.S. McKenzie3, J.I. Rademeyer2, P.G. van Rooyen3 1Golder Associates Africa, T.J. Coleman 2Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Directorate: National Water Resource Planning, J.I. Rademeyer 3WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, R.S. McKenzie, P.G. van Rooyen Abstract Reconciling the available water resources of the Vaal River System with the future expected water requirements of the system is an essential and continuous management activity of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). This function is carried out by developing a Reconciliation Strategy which has the aim of identifying and recommending intervention measures that would maintain a positive water balance for a twenty to thirty year planning period. DWAF has compiled the First Stage Reconciliation Strategy for the Vaal River System by implementing integrated water resource planning procedures which included among other things; the development of water requirement and return flow scenarios, evaluations of the water resource supply capability, determine scenarios of water loss savings through water conservation and demand management, assess the implications of the Reserve on the water balance, incorporate water quality management options, schedule future augmentation options and conducted stakeholder consultation in the development of the reconciliation strategy. The study presented certain challenges and the outcome of the evaluations revealed the need for the implementation of decisive strategies to; curb unlawful water use in the catchment, implement water conservation and demand management measures as the only means to maintain a positive water balance over the medium term and the need for water quality management measures to reduce the risk of eutrophication, to mention a view.
    [Show full text]
  • Water and Tradition
    a publication of the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance and the South African Water Caucus Water and Tradition By Mduduzi Tshabalala, Thandiwe Ngcanga and Samson Mokoena 1 We began to understand the Introduction moral value of cultural religious groups practice based on natural water. Who are we Samson Mokoena In Steel Valley I became a community and environmental activist. In 1996 the My name is Samson Mokoena I was born community found out that the water was in Free State Province in a town called contaminated and the pollution was Raitz. My family moved to Evaton coming from Iscor. We started the Steel Township in the seventies I went to Valley Crisis Committee. In 2002 primary School at Khunoana Primary and Groundwork, an NGO, invited community wrote my Matric at E.D Mashabane organisations to participate in the world Secondary School. I become politically summit on sustainable development and it active at High School. In 1994 my family is where South African environmental moved to Steel Valley, a small community activism was strongly formed. on the outskirts of Vanderbijlpark west of Iscor (now known as ArcelorMittal South Because of the work of Steel Valley Crisis Africa) Committee and the Friends of Steel Valley 2 we engaged with other community organissations that were addressing the environmental struggles in the Vaal Triangle. In 2004 we held a workshop in the Community Hall of Louisrus to establish the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance. On the 10 October 2006 it was launched as the regional Environmental Justice Movement. I am currently working as the coordinator of the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA).
    [Show full text]
  • Quality of Water in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir Date Sampled 6 June 2018
    Quality of Water in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir Date Sampled 6 June 2018 Riviera Vosloo Hotel Klip 3 Park River Dickinson Suikerbosrant Park 1 Riviera Aquatic FW De Klerk 2 Club Bridge SEBOKENG VEREENIGING Rietspruit N Railway Bridge 4 Vaal River Village R59 Bridge Manor VANDERBIJLPARK Emfuleni Eligwa Ascot Bridge Lochvaal 9 Riverside Sun Park Club Club Hotel 5 Lethabo Weir Upstream 6 8 Vaalview Vaal River 10 Aquatic Club Baddrift Bridge to Vaal River Vaal Clavadel Dam 7 Abrahamsrust Caravan Park Resort Luciana Parys Country Club Taaiboschspruit to Leeuspruit Toll Free No: 0860 10 10 60 Downstream Not to Scale SASOLBURG Sample Point Interpretation of the results obtained from water samples collected at the respective sample points (refer map above). Escherichia coli E.coli counts per 100ml at sample points (E.coli) Predicted symptoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 include: 135 57 860 7,230 960 173 9 1,414 14,600 6 This Skin irritations, infections Week 173 7 3,310 11,000 5,810 63 19 91 > 241,960 19 & intestinal disorders* Last Week Significant risk of Low risk of Slight risk of High risk of gastrointestinal gastrointestinal disorders gastrointestinal disorders gastrointestinal disorders Guideline disorders E.coli < 130 E.coli 130 - 200 E.coli > 400 E.coli 200 - 400 counts/100ml counts/100ml counts/100ml counts/100ml Blue Green Algae Blue Green algae counts at sample points Predicted symptoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 include: This 80 2,172 < 40 < 40 < 40 < 40 1,001 1,207 483 6,929 Skin irritations, infections Week & intestinal disorders* Last < 40 603
    [Show full text]
  • Storing Water for a Thirsty City Vaal Barrage
    18 Water History The construction of the Vaal Barrage was the first attempt to tame the waters VAAL BARRAGE: of the Vaal River. Lani van Vuuren van Lani Storing Water for a Thirsty City Completed in 1923, the Vaal Barrage, one of the earliest large dams to be constructed in the country, was one of the most ambitious water projects of its kind in South Africa at the start of the twentieth century. Lani van Vuuren reports. ven before the official end of the Anglo Boer War in VAAL RIVER Re-inVESTIGATED 1901, British authorities commissioned an investigation Einto the possible damming of the Vaal River. The gold Shortly after South Africa became a Union in 1910, drought mines and industries of the Witwatersrand needed water, and set in exposing the unstable foundations upon which the local sources (mostly groundwater) were diminishing at a Witwatersrand’s rapid expansion and growing prosperity was rapid rate. based. By 1911, the mines were the largest water consumers in the area. At the same time, the number of municipal authori- In its final report the appointed commission of enquiry was crit- ties had increased considerably. ical of the Vaal River, however. This was mainly because the river was still the de jure border between the two Boer republics at Rand Water instructed its chief engineer, William Ingham, to launch war with Britain. After the conclusion of the Anglo Boer War in an investigation to find the most suitable water catchments within 1902, the river was the border between two British colonies. a radius of 80 km of Johannesburg to expand the board’s sources The Water Wheel January/February 2009 Water History 19 of supply.
    [Show full text]