CLASSIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT WATER RESOURCES IN THE INTHE MOKOLO AND MATLABAS CATCHMENTS: LIMPOPO WATER MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA) AND CROCODILE (WEST) AND MARICO WMA WP 10506 ECOLOGICAL WATER REQUIREMENTS REPORT DRAFT REPORT NO: RDM/WMA 1,3/00/CON/CLA/0312 Directorate: Water Resource Classification OCTOBER 2012 Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and EWR Report Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 Published by Department of Water Affairs Private Bag X313 Pretoria, 0001 Republic of South Africa Tel: (012) 336 7500/ +27 12 336 7500 Fax: (012) 336 6731/ +27 12 336 6731 Copyright reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without full acknowledgement of the source. This report is to be cited as: Directorate Water Resource Classification. Department of Water Affairs, South Africa, September 2011. CLASSIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT WATER RESOURCES IN THE MOKOLO AND MATLABAS CATCHMENTS: LIMPOPO WATER MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA) AND CROCODILE (WEST) AND MARICO WMA: Ecological Water Requirements Report. Report No: RDM/WMA 1,3/00/CON/CLA/0312 Prepared by: Retha Stassen, Golder Associates Africa, Zitholele Consulting, Wetland Consulting Services and Prime Africa, Department of Water Affairs i Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and EWR Report Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 Title: Ecological Water Requirements Report Authors: Study Team Project Name: Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 DWA Report no: RDM/WMA 1,3/00/CON/CLA/0312 Status of Report: Draft First Issue: September 2012 Final Issue: Professional Service Providers: Golder Associates Africa/ Zitholele Consulting/ Prime Africa/Wetland Consulting Services/ Retha Stassen and Department of Water Affairs Approved for the Professional Service Providers by: ………………………………………………….. Trevor Coleman Study Manager DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS (DWA) Directorate Water Resource Classification Approved for DWA by: ………………………………………. Ndileka Mohapi Chief Director: Water Ecosystems ii Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and EWR Report Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 INDEX Reports as part of this study: Bold type indicates this report. Report Report number Report title Index 1 RDM/WMA1,3/00/CON/CLA/0111 Inception Report 2a RDM/WMA1,3/00/CON/CLA/0112A Information Analysis Report : Crocodile (West) Marico WMA Information Analysis Report : Mokolo and Matlabas RDM/WMA1,3/00/CON/CLA/0112B 2b catchments: Limpopo WMA 3 RDM/WMA1,3/00/CON/CLA/0212 Integrated Units of Analysis Delineation Report 4 RDM/WMA 1,3/00/CON/CLA/0312 Ecological Water Requirements Report i Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and Crocodile EWR Report (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS CD: RDM Chief Directorate: Resource Directed Measures CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research D: RQS Directorate: Resource Quality Services DWA Department of Water Affairs EIS Ecological Importance and Sensitivity EWR Ecological Water Requirements GDP Gross Domestic Product IUA Integrated Unit of Analysis IWRM Integrated Water Resource Management MC Management Class MU Management Unit NFEPA National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas NWA National Water Act PES Present Ecological State RDM Resource Directed Measures REC Recommended Ecological Category RQOs Resource Quality Objectives SEZ Socio-Economic Zones WMA Water Management Area WMS Water Management System WRC Water Resource Classification WRCS Water Resource Classification System WRYM Water Resources Yield Model WRPM Water Resources Planning Model ii Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and Crocodile EWR Report (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background The Chief Directorate: Resource Directed Measures (RDM) has initiated the Classification of Significant Water Resources Study for the Crocodile West/Marico WMA and Mokolo and Matlabas catchments of the Limpopo WMA. The purpose of this study is to coordinate the implementation of the 7 step process of the Water Resource Classification System (WRCS) in the Crocodile West/Marico WMA and Mokolo and Matlabas catchments of the Limpopo WMA in order to determine a suitable management class (MC) for all significant water resources and in so doing deliver the IWRM template with recommendations for presentation to the delegated authority. As part of the Classification process Step 3 requires that the Ecological Water Requirements (EWRs) be quantified. The objective of step 3 of the WRCS is to provide the necessary ecological and Reserve data to enable the determination of the MC of all the significant water resources of the Crocodile West/Marico WMA and Mokolo and Matlabas catchments of the Limpopo WMA by quantifying the EWRs and describing the changes in non-water ecosystem goods, services and attributes (EGSAs) at the established EWR sites and at biophysical nodes to which Reserve data can be extrapolated. It should be noted that this EWR report does not include the EWRs for the Matlabas catchment due to the hydraulic challenges encountered during the collection of data. The data gaps with respect to the Matlabas catchment will be addressed in the final EWR report. Approach The process followed in terms of quantification of EWRs and EGSA changes is that described in the WRCS Guidelines, Volumes 1 and 2 (Overview and the 7-step classification procedure; and Ecological, hydrological and water quality guidelines for the 7-step classification procedure) (DWA, February 2007a and 2007b). In terms of the RDM data required as part of the WRCS process the all available ecological/EWR information has been assessed and the information required for the determination of the catchment configuration scenarios are presented in this report. This RDM data includes the: • Final identified nodes (hydro nodes) based on either management or biophysical considerations; • EWR information available from previous Reserve determination studies; • Additional rapid Reserve determination studies undertaken to enhance the existing information; • Extrapolation of existing and new EWR results to all the identified hydro nodes; • Development of the rule curves, summary tables and modified time series at each hydro node for use in the Water Resources Yield Model during the scenario analysis; and • EGSAs changes at the established EWR sites and at biophysical nodes to which Reserve data can be extrapolated. iii Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and Crocodile EWR Report (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 EWR Quantification A number of Reserve studies were undertaken at various levels of detail. The most significant study was the comprehensive study initiated in 2010 and completed in 2012 for the Crocodile West/Marico WMA and during 2009 to 2011 for the Mokolo catchment. No Reserve study has been undertaken in the Matlabas catchment. Additional Rapid III Reserve determination studies were undertaken in the Crocodile West/Marico WMA to enhance the existing information and to enable the extrapolation of EWRs to all the identified hydro nodes. Five EWR sites were identified in the Matlabas catchment on which Rapid III Reserve studies were undertaken. All EWR sites (existing and additional Rapid sites) are listed in Table E1 and E2 below. Table E1: Information on previous Reserve studies in the catchments of the study area EWR River Quaternary PES EIS REC nMAR 1) %EWR Level site catchment (106m3) CROCODILE WEST Crocodile: Upstream of the EWR 1 A21H 87.8 24.07 Intermediate Hartbeespoort D Moderate D Dam Jukskei: Heron EWR 2 A21C 34.4 29.19 Intermediate Bridge School E Moderate D Crocodile: Downstream of EWR 3 Hartbeespoort A21J C/D High C/D 153.6 25.02 Intermediate Dam in Mount Amanzi Pienaars: EWR 4 Downstream of A23B C High C 28.2 20.98 Intermediate Roodeplaat Dam Pienaars/Moretele: Downstream of the EWR 5 Klipvoor Dam in A23J D High D 113.0 11.82 Intermediate Borakalalo National Park Hex: Upstream of EWR 6 A22J 26.9 14.96 Intermediate Vaalkop Dam D Moderate D Crocodile: Upstream of the EWR 7 A24C 463.4 9.14 Intermediate confluence with the D Moderate D Bierspruit Crocodile: Downstream of the confluence with the EWR 8 A24H 559.9 14.22 Intermediate Bierspruit in Ben C Moderate C Alberts Nature Reserve Magalies: Rapid Downstream of A21F B Moderate 14.7 45.58 Rapid 3 EWR 9 Malony’s Eye iv Classification of significant water resources in the Mokolo and Matlabas catchments: Limpopo Water Management Area (WMA) and Crocodile EWR Report (West) and Marico WMA: WP 10506 EWR River Quaternary PES EIS REC nMAR 1) %EWR Level site catchment (106m3) Rapid Elands: Upstream A22A C Moderate 10.1 30.48 Rapid 3 EWR 10 Swartruggens Dam Sterkstroom: Rapid Upstream A21K C High 14.0 28.41 Rapid 3 EWR 11 Buffelspoort Dam MARICO Kaaloog-se-Loop: EWR 1 A31A B Very high B 10.539 76.32 Intermediate Below gorge Groot Marico: B Very high B Upstream EWR 2 A31B 42.08 50.26 Intermediate confluence with Sterkstroom Groot Marico: C/D High C/D Downstream EWR 3 A31F 65.083 23.62 Intermediate Marico Bosveld Dam