Final EIAR - Aurecon AME Environmental | Environmental Projects

Proposed Wind and Solar (Photovoltaic) Energy Facilities on Kangnas Farm near Springbok in the Northern Cape: Final EIR 99
c) Mitigation measures
Mitigation measures for the wind energy facility
The following mitigation is recommended for the proposed wind energy facility
• Avoid homesteads and interact with land owners with regards to the final turbine
positioning.
Mitigation measures for the solar energy facility
The following mitigation is recommended for the proposed solar energy facility:
• Allow periodic grazing of sheep within the PV site in order to minimise the loss of grazing
land and allow agricultural production to remain virtually unaffected. However, it has
been noted by Mainstream that this would not be possible due to power purchase
agreement (PPA) guarantees and security concerns.
d) Cumulative impacts
The proposed projects are not expected to have any cumulative impact due to the minor loss of
agricultural land.
4.3.6 Impact on freshwater
The topography of the study area is relatively flat, although a few ridges and granite inselbergs
are present in the landscape. The site is situated on a watershed between the Orange River and
the Buffels River and its main freshwater features consisting of small ephemeral streams that
drain the onsite inselbergs for a short period following rainfall events. The potential exists for
the proposed wind and solar energy facilities to impact on freshwater features, modify water
quality, cause erosion and/or invasive plant growth. As such a freshwater study was undertaken
Mrs Antonia Belcher. A desktop review was undertaken as well as a more detailed assessment
of the freshwater features at the sites. A site visit was conducted on 14 July 2012 in order to
inform the Freshwater Impact Assessment. During this study, the characterisation, mapping and
integrity assessments of the freshwater features were undertaken. The Freshwater Impact
Assessment is included in Annexure J. The findings and recommendations of the study are
summarised below.
a) Description of the environment
The site is largely spread over the watershed between minor, northward flowing tributaries of
the Orange River and the south and westward flowing tributaries of the Buffels River. The main
freshwater features within the study area consist of a number of small ephemeral streams
(Figure 4.18, Figure 4.19 and Figure 4.20) that drain the inselbergs for a short period following
rainfall events.
These small drainage channels are discernible only as slightly shallow depressions with no
clear associated vegetation and slightly clayey soils. The presence of larger drainage channels
is a result of the confluence of a number of the small drainage channels and is more defined
© Aurecon (2012) No unauthorised reproduction, copy
or adaptation, in whole or in part, may be made.
P:\Projects\108495 Kangnas WEF & PV EIA's\3 Project Delivery\4 Reports\FEIR\FEIR 210213 Final.doc