The objectives of the Pangani Basin Baseline Flow Assessment (FA) Study were to generate baseline data of the condition of the Pangani River system against which the impact of water-related decision-making can be monitored in future; enhance the understanding of the relationship between flow, the river and people among PBWO and MWLD staff; create an awareness of the links between flow and the trade-offs that need to be made in water allocation; develop simple tools to help guide flow management and water allocations in the Pangani Basin; build capacity that will enable PWBO to act as a nucleus of expertise for FA-related work in other areas; support the National Water Policy (NAWAPO_2002) and the National Environmental Management Act (2004). The project included the design and operation of the Pangani Flows DSS, which was used to assess various (at this stage 18) scenarios related to water resource development and provide information on hydrological, sector allocations, impacts on rivers, wetlands, lakes and the estuary, social impacts related to those impacts and various economic (direct) indicators, specifically those related to HEP, agriculture and ecosystem services
A Feasibility Study and Pilot Project into the viability of the TMG Aquifer for bulk water supply to Cape Town, more particularly the deep confined portions of the Peninsula Formation. Duties included evaluation of proposed well-field sites, design of a monitoring programme to assess future possible impacts of abstraction from the TMG aquifer on rivers and wetlands in the area and review of the subsequent monitoring activities, which have been outsourced.
Knowledge management, including: Information and data management and process design for the Environmental Flow Assessments. Including database design, population and presentation of results for Phases 2 and 3 of the MRC’s IBFM Programme. Also a review of Decision Support Systems/Models (DSS) designed to show the social, environmental and economic costs and benefits of various kinds of basin development.
Environmental flow specialist: A multidisciplinary team tasked with designing and implementing the operation rules for the Berg River Dam in Franschhoek. The Berg River Dam is the first dam in South Africa where provision for the Ecological Reserve was included in feasibility, design and operations
Research Project aimed at the development of predictive tools and indices to assess the impact (or risk of impact) of groundwater abstraction on the environment; improved understanding of groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in the Table Mountain Group (TMG), development of innovative techniques to determine the impacts of groundwater abstraction on the environment; development of indicators to monitor the effect of abstraction; and improved understanding of the impact of changing low flows on freshwater ecology and the relationship between surface flow, event discharge from high-lying TMG unconfined aquifers and deep confined-aquifers in maintaining wetlands or seeps.
The WRCS, which is required by the SA National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998), is a set of guidelines and procedures for determining the desired characteristics of a water resource, and is represented by a Management Class (MC). The MC outlines those attributes that the custodian (DWAF) and society require of different water resources. The WRCS is to be used in a consultative process to classify water resources to help facilitate a balance between protection and use of the nation’s water resources. The economic, social and ecological implications of choosing a MC will need to be established and communicated to all Interested and Affected Parties during the Classification Process. The outcome of a Classification Process using the WRCS is a target Health class for every significant water resource in a basin, plus a monitoring programme for evaluating future management of the basin. The WRCS is currently undergoing the Gazetting Process for incorporation into South Africa’s water law.
The objectives of Contract LHDA 1237 were to ensure that LHDA’s biophysical monitoring programme was running smoothly, in that LHDA possessed the in-house capacity (i.e., in terms of data collection and analysis) to carry out all the tasks associated with IFR monitoring; data collection and analytical tasks were meeting the goals and objectives set out in the IFR Policy and Procedures and were providing information to: determine if the desired river conditions set out in the IFR Policy were being achieved; and if not; to provide information enable decisions to be made on appropriate action to be taken.
An advocacy exercise using the DRIFT EF process for the Zambezi Delta involving interest groups instead of biophysical specialists with the main aim of assessing the implications of various release options from the hydropower facility at Cahorra Bassa Dam.
Project leader: This study objective was to recommend a comprehensive Ecological Water Requirement (EWR) for water quality and quantity, for various reaches of the Olifants and Doring Rivers, two key tributaries, and the Olifants River estuary. The study also reviewed the importance of groundwater to current and potential users in the catchment. An additional deliverable was a River and Estuarine Health monitoring programme for assessing the efficacy of management actions in the Olifants-Doring Basin.
An assessment of the relationship between the current flow regime in the river and the EFR recommended by the Desktop Model was examined, and appropriate changes be made to the recommended flows. The results of these analyses were incorporated into the systems modelling for planning purposes. Thereafter a ToR for a Comprehensive (reactive) EF assessment for the Orange River and its estuary was compiled.
Author of detailed manual for the biophysical components of the DRIFT method, including user-guides to the DRIFT database and DRIFT hydrological software.
Documentation and further development of the DRIFT method, a scenario-based methodology for Environmental Flow Assessments, which was developed for use in the Lesotho Highland Water Project.
Determination of the Instream Flow Requirements of the Senqu, Matsoku and Malibamatso and Senqunyane Rivers, as part of the Feasibility studies for all four phases of the proposed Lesotho Highlands Water Project: Co-leader of all pre-project activities including project design, production of the project proposal and negotiations with the client. Responsibilities include: co-ordination of an IFR Team of international scientists, co-ordination of all IFR activities, Habitat Integrity Assessment of the Senqu, Matsoku and Malibamatso and Senqunyane Rivers within the study area, report writing and compilation of all major reports. This project led to the development of DRIFT and several other major projects with LHDA. Joint Venture with SMEC International.
EFR Training course, including field work, for international participants in Swaziland (Annually, 3 days).
A comprehensive study of the water resources supplying the Greater Cape Town Metropolitan Area leading to a Strategy for meeting the city’s water requirements in a sustainable manner.
Presentations and papers aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of the role of river flow in the management of natural fisheries around the globe.
Reviewer of the methods, progress and reports from the Maguga Dam Environmental Flows Monitoring Programme for the Komati River downstream of the dam (Swaziland and South Africa).
This study objective is to recommend a comprehensive Ecological Water Requirement (EWR), for water quality and quantity, for various reaches of the Komati River.
Researcher and contributor to reports and proposals for the CGIAR Comprehensive Assessment, in particular those pertaining to EFlows.
1 week training session for 20-25 Tanzanian technical staff in methods for defining environmental flow options for Tanzanian rivers, with particular emphasis on the upper Rufiji Basin. Including:
Evaluation of course and preparation of report on a revised future programme.
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