national water resource strategy south africa’s water situation and strategies to balance supply...

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCE STRATEGY

SOUTH AFRICA’S WATER SITUATION AND

STRATEGIES TO BALANCE SUPPLY AND

DEMAND

USUTU TO MHLATUZE WMA

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Rainfall and Evaporation

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Base Map

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Land Use

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Sectoral Water Requirements (2000)

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Usutu toMhlatuze WMA

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Water Availability (2000)

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Water Reconciliation (2000)

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Population scenarios

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Water Reconciliation (future)

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Groundwater

• Significant quantities of groundwater available in WMA

• Actual utilisation is relatively small

• Mainly attributable to generally well-watered nature of the WMA and wide occurrence of perennial surface streams, which reduces the need for groundwater

• Strong inter-dependence between surface water and groundwater

• Large abstractions of groundwater will directly impact on the surface water flows and wetlands

• Specific sensitivities exist with respect to Lake St Lucia: abstraction of groundwater reduces subterranean inflow of fresh water to the lake

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Water quality

• In the natural state the quality of surface water in the WMA is of a high standard

• Wash-off from areas with insufficient sanitation infrastructure and services causes unacceptable bacteriological pollution, particularly at rural villages and dense settlements

• Sufficient quantities of water of appropriate quality are required to ensure the continued biological health of various conservation areas in the WMA

• Groundwater quality is generally of a very high standard

• No pollutions of groundwater have been recorded

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Key issues

• Water resource in the Upper Usutu River catchment already highly developed and utilised (also transferred to other WMAs mainly for power generation

• Serious deficits expected when ecological component of the Reserve is implemented - significant remedial measures will be required

• Large surplus in the Pongola River downstream of Pongolapoort Dam

• Water resources in Mhlatuze River catchment are fully developed and utilised and are being augmented by transfers from the Thukela River (Thukela WMA)

• Continued urban and industrial growth in Richards Bay area will result in increased requirements for water

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze - Key issues (2)

• Water use allowances for irrigation in Mhlatuze sub-area need to be re-assessed and rationalised

• Inherent growth in water requirements and strong needs for socio-economic development within the WMA

• Need also exists for additional transfers to the Upper Vaal and Olifants WMAs

• Water resources in WMA sufficient to meet basic human needs

• Severe lack of infrastructure for providing assured and safe potable water to a proportion of rural population

• Commitments and obligations to Mozambique with respect to Usutu and Pongola (Maputo) Rivers

WMA 17: Usutu to Mhlatuze

Water resources under control of the Minister

• Existing transfers from Upper Usutu sub-area to other WMAs

• Current transfers from the Tugela River into the Mhlatuze sub-area and provisional planning for possible future increase of transfers - would require additional storage be provided in the Thukela River

• Construction of new dams in Pongola River catchment as well as developments in the Upper Usutu catchment, which may rule out further transfers to Upper Vaal WMA and beyond

• Water resource developments which may impact on neighbouring countries will be subject to national authorisation