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(v) The Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Natal,
Pietermaritzburg, maintains its own research gauge network in the
De HoeklNtabamhlope and Cedara catchments. The Department of
Hydrology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, likewise has
research gauges in the Ntuze River catchment. The South African
Sugar Association Experiment Station similarly, has a research gauge
network at la Mercy. A research network was also recently
established in the Sezela catchment. The Division of Forest Science
and Technology, CSIR, has research gauges in the Cathedral Peak
catchment.
(vi) The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry produces a weekly
report on the volume of water available in the 139 major storage
dams of South Africa. In NatallKwaZulu the dams reported on are:
AlbertFalls; Chelmsford; Craigieburn; Oriel; Goedertrouw; Hazelmere;
Hluhluwe; Inanda;Klipfontein; Midmar; Nagle; Pongolapoort (Jozini);
Spioenkop; Wagendrift; Woodstock, and Zaaihoek. Data expressed
as a percentage of the nett full supply capacity, are also provided on
the volume of water found in the given dam during the previous
week, and for the same period in the previous year. Example:
Anonymous, 1994. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry:
weekly state of reservoirs as on 1994/01/03, Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria, no pagination. The information is
especially useful for drought studies. It would appear that the
publication began in January 1983.
10.13 Aspects of runoff data for NatallKwaZulu
An analysis of streamflow data for South Africa in 1980 (Table J25), revealed that very
few rivers in NatallKwaZulu have long term records. Many data records in South Africa
generally, are incomplete, while land use changes in catchments over time - as well as
faulty equipment plus other factors - may result in difficulties with the reliability of
streamflow data. This is particularly the case for the identification of cycles and for the
accurate assessment of water resources. Various methods are available to "patch" data.
Problems with the limited distribution of gauges are also apparent, especially in mountain
catchments of the High Drakensberg (Cathedral Peak excepted), major rivers draining into
"estuaries", and the drier areas of northern KwaZulu (as well as other parts of KwaZulu).
Swart and Allanson (1988)* observed that only eight out of 73 rivers in Natal/KwaZulu
* See Swart, D.H. and Allanson, B.R., 1988. Chapter 5. River flows and estuaries. Estuaries, In:
Macdonald, I.A.W. and Crawford, R.J.M. (ads), Long-term Data Series Relatin9 to Southern Africa's
Renewable Natural Resources, South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 157,
Foundation for Research Development, CSIR, Pretoria, p. 201 - 210.