OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF MINING ON THE ... - IIED pubs

Most of the clayey loam soils would be suitable for commercial agriculture if sufficient water were available.
However, most of the land use is given over to small-scale irrigation along river courses, and the raising of small
and large livestock and game animals. All irrigation water use occurs within Government Water Control Areas
situated along the main river channels. The main crops produced consist of Cotton, Sorghum and Maize, with
some cultivation of citrus and soft fruits.
Several small towns with some light industry and mining operations are present.
4.13.1.4 Surface water users
All towns and settlements in the sub-catchment rely on water supplied from the larger impoundments, or from
run-of-river abstraction points and, occasionally, from local boreholes. Most of the water used in the subcatchment
is consumed by the numerous irrigation schemes in the Government Water Control Areas along the
Marico River and the South African bank of the Limpopo River.
4.13.1.5 Water management systems
The South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is responsible for the management of all water
supply and water use in the sub-catchment. Close liaison is maintained between the Department and their
Botswana colleagues for the supply of water to Gaborone from the Marico Dam.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) operates a comprehensive system of flow gauging at all
dams in the sub-catchment and particular attention is paid to monitoring the quantity of water supplied to
irrigation schemes and towns, as well as some attention to the quality of agricultural return flows and effluent
discharges to the Marico River. The quality of dolomite springs is monitored regularly.
This sub-catchment (and its eastern neighbour, the Elands-Crocodile-Pienaarsrivier sub-catchment) are likely to
become the first official Catchment Management Agency that will take over responsibility for al aspects of water
resource management and water supply. The preliminary documentation is being finalized and catchment
studies are either in progress or have been completed.
4.13.1.6 Human impacts on water resources (excluding mining)
The following activities can be expected to have an impact on water resources in the sub-catchment:
• Landfills and solid waste disposal sites at Zeerust, Groot Marico, Swartruggens and Derdepoort;
• Disposal of liquid (domestic and some light industrial) effluent at Zeerust, Groot Marico, Swartruggens and
Derdepoort;
• Minor volumes of run off from urban areas;
• Non-point domestic effluent from numerous small settlements and farms;
• Minor non-point impact from non-intensive commercial or subsistence agriculture;
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