Republic of Botswana DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study for Botlhapatlou Groundwater Exploration and Wellfield Development Project Tender No. PR 10/3/1/08 (II) FINAL REPORT November 2012 Submitted by aqualogic (Pty) Ltd P. O. Box 403975, Gaborone Plot 182 Unit 1 GICP Phone: 3180216; Fax: 3180218 Email: [email protected] For Department of Water Affairs Private Bag 0029, Gaborone Contact person: Director Phone: 3607100; Fax: 3903508 DOCUMENT CONTROL AND DISTRIBUTION DETAILED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) STUDY FOR BOTLHAPATLOU GROUNDWATER EXPLORATION AND WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Title FINAL REPORT Date 16 November 2012 Status FINAL Author Aqualogic (Pty) Ltd Distribution DEA (2 hard copies + 1 soft copy); DWA (as required) Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Study of the Botlhapatlou Groundwater Exploration and Wellfield Development Project Tender No. PR 10/3/1/08 Final EIA Report TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................................................I 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 DETAILED EIA METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE BASELINE ENVIRONMENT.......................................................................................... 2 1.5 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESS ................................................................................................... 2 1.6 IDENTIFIED PHASE 2 (EXPLORATION) IMPACTS............................................................................................ 3 1.7 MITIGATION MEASURES OF PHASE 2 IMPACTS ............................................................................................ 3 1.8 KEY ASPECTS AND FINDINGS - DETAILED EIA.............................................................................................. 4 1.9 IDENTIFIED PHASE 3 (INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT) IMPACTS ........................................................... 4 1.10 MITIGATION MEASURES OF PHASE 3 IMPACTS ............................................................................................ 4 1.11 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................... 4 2 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH OF THE EIA STUDY .................................................................................. 9 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT........................................................................... 12 3.1 PROJECT MOTIVATION................................................................................................................................. 12 3.2 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES............................................................................................................................. 12 3.3 WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND SITUATION ................................................................................................. 13 3.4 DEMAND STATUS ......................................................................................................................................... 13 3.5 WATER SUPPLY STATUS ............................................................................................................................. 14 3.6 PROJECT ACTIVITIES - BGEWDP............................................................................................................... 14 4 ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ............................................................ 18 4.1 ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK.................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................................................... 18 4.3 POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................................... 20 5 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE OF THE PROJECT AREA ........................................................... 22 5.1 VEGETATION................................................................................................................................................. 22 5.2 WILDLIFE....................................................................................................................................................... 24 5.3 TOPOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................... 24 5.4 GEOMORPHOLOGY....................................................................................................................................... 24 5.5 HYDROLOGY/DRAINAGE .............................................................................................................................. 26 5.6 HYDROGEOLOGY.......................................................................................................................................... 26 5.7 GEOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 5.8 SOIL .............................................................................................................................................................. 31 5.9 CLIMATE........................................................................................................................................................ 33 5.10 DUST AND AMBIENT AIR QUALITY................................................................................................................. 36 5.11 NOISE AND VIBRATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 36 5.12 SOCIO-CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ......................................................................................................... 36 5.13 LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT ......................................................................................................... 37 5.14 HISTORICAL SITES ........................................................................................................................................ 38 5.15 LAND TENURE AND LAND USE..................................................................................................................... 38 5.16 INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................................................................................................ 39 5.17 SOCIAL AMENITIES ....................................................................................................................................... 41 6 STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS....................................................... 44 6.1 STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION................................................................................................................... 44 6.2 THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION APPROACH ..................................................................................................... 45 6.3 ISSUES RAISED BY THE IAPS DURING CONSULTATION............................................................................... 45 7 IDENTIFICATION OF THE PHASE 2 IMPACTS ............................................................................ 48 7.1 IMPACT IDENTIFICATION............................................................................................................................... 48 Aqualogic (Pty) Ltd I Plot 182 Unit 1, GICP; PO Box 403975, Gaborone Phone: 31 80 216, Fax: 31 80 218 Email: [email protected] Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Study of the Botlhapatlou Groundwater Exploration and Wellfield Development Project Tender No. PR 10/3/1/08 Final EIA Report 7.2 DESCRIPTION OF IMPACTS........................................................................................................................... 49 8 FINDINGS OF THE AIA COMPONENT.......................................................................................... 52 9 ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION MEASURES OF PHASE 2 IMPACTS..................................... 54 10 IDENTIFICATION OF PHASE 3 IMPACTS (WELLFIELD UTILIZATION)...................................... 57 10.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 57 10.2 RESULTS OF PREDICTIVE GROUNDWATER MODELLING FOR SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION .......................... 57 10.3 DESCRIPTIONS OF PREDICTED IMPACTS AND OTHER KEY ISSUES............................................................. 60 10.4