Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province Brak River stream profiling Study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in ward 21 of the Makhado Local Municipality in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province Dihlashana Consulting Corporation (Pty) Ltd Maxwell Office Park Building 1, Magwa Crescent West, Waterfall City, Midrand, 1685 Contact Details: +27 11 254 4800/ 072 899 3300/ 084 397 4840 Contact Person: Dipitseng Manamela Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province Title Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province Issue 02 Date 28 March 2017 Classification Privileged Status Draft Details of the Applicant Company Details Name Universal Coal Development II (Pty) Ltd Responsible Person Ms. Minah Moabi Contact Person Project Manager Contact Details 012 460 0805 Address P O Box 0075 Brooklyn Square 0075 Consultant Details Company Dihlashana Consulting Corporation (Pty) Ltd Compiled by Mpho Ramalivhana, Qualification BSc Hons (Botany) Affiliation SACNASP (400395/14), IAIAsa and SAAB Contact Details 072 899 3300 Reviewed by Lazola Mnyaka Qualification BSS Hons (Geography and Environmental Management) Approved by Dipitseng Manamela Qualification MSc (Environmental Science) 2 Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province Contents GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................................................. 7 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Aim and Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Study Limitations .......................................................................................................................................... 9 2. STUDY AREA ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Locality ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Water Management Area ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.3 Ecoregion ................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.4 Vegetation .................................................................................................................................................. 14 2.4.1 Biome ................................................................................................................................................. 14 2.4.2 Broad-vegetation ............................................................................................................................... 14 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS............................................................................................................................. 16 3.1. Desktop study ............................................................................................................................................. 16 3.2. Site Assessment ......................................................................................................................................... 16 3.3. Water Quality Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 16 3.4. Invertebrate Habitat Assessment................................................................................................................ 16 3.5. Aquatic Macro Invertebrates ....................................................................................................................... 16 4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................... 17 4.1. Habitat integrity/Suitability .......................................................................................................................... 17 3 Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province 5. Impact Assessment and mitigation measures ..................................................................................................... 26 5.1. Methodology in determine significance ....................................................................................................... 26 5.1.1. Consequence ......................................................................................................................................... 26 5.1.2. Likelihood ............................................................................................................................................... 28 5.1.3. Environmental Significance .................................................................................................................... 29 5.2. Impact assessment ..................................................................................................................................... 29 5.2.1. Construction phase ................................................................................................................................ 29 5.2.2. Operational phase .................................................................................................................................. 33 6. Conclusion and recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 36 7. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 37 List of figures Figure 1: Locality Map for the proposed Berenice Colliery ........................................................................................... 11 Figure 2: Limpopo Quaternary Catchment ................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 3: Level 1 Ecoregions of South Africa ............................................................................................................... 13 Figure 4: Vegetation map for the proposed site ........................................................................................................... 15 List of Tables Table 1: Summary of the location of study area ........................................................................................................... 10 Table 2: Habitat Integrity Categories ............................................................................................................................ 17 Table 3: Sites Characterization .................................................................................................................................... 19 Table 4: Assessment and Rating of Severity ............................................................................................................... 26 4 Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province Table 5: Assessment and Rating of Duration ............................................................................................................... 27 Table 6: Assessment and Rating of Extent .................................................................................................................. 27 Table 7: Determination of Consequence ...................................................................................................................... 28 Table 8: Assessment and Rating of Frequency ........................................................................................................... 28 Table 9: Assessment and Rating of Probability............................................................................................................ 28 Table 10: Determination of Likelihood .......................................................................................................................... 29 Table 11: Determination of Environmental Significance ............................................................................................... 29 5 Brak River stream profiling study for the proposed Berenice Colliery in Limpopo Province GLOSSARY Aquatic ecosystem: ecosystem which provides a medium for habitat by aquatic organisms and sustains aquatic ecological process. Biomonitoring: the gathering of biological information in both the laboratory and the field for the purpose of making an assessment or decision or in determining whether quality objectives are being met. Ecosystem: any unit that includes all of the organisms (i.e. the community) in a given area interacting with the physical environment so that a flow of energy leads to clear defined trophic structure, biodiversity and material cycles (i.e. exchange of material between living and non-living parts) within the ecosystem. Geomorphology: the study