coaltech upper olifants river catchment wetland inventory ...

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o Fauna and flora o Flora o Forestry o Fauna 3.6.1 Water Usage Large amounts of water are required in the UORC for various activities, most importantly for power generation (181 million m 3 /a). Other uses also requiring significant amounts of water are urban use (62 million m 3 /a), irrigation (44 million m 3 /a), and mining and industrial use (20 million m 3 /a) ( Figure 2). Another important consideration in the water budget are the transfers out of the catchment (96 million m 3 /a). The main storage dams in the UORC are the Bronkhorstspruit, Witbank, Doringpoort, Middelburg and Loskop dams. In addition the extraction of large amounts of groundwater also takes place in the catchment. The total water yield in the catchment from various sources, including surface water, groundwater and transfers into the catchment totals 409 million m 3 /a. It is expected that the total requirements of the catchment will exceed this with 56 million m 3 /a in the base scenario for water use in 2025 and with 87 million m 3 /a in the high scenario in 2025 (DWAF 2003b). The other catchments in the Olifants River Catchment are already showing a large deficit in the water budget. The Olifants River Catchment is therefore a water stressed area. The water shortage can be mitigated to some extent by the potential for development in the water supply services (DWAF 2003b). 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 million m3/a Water use in the UORC Figure 3. Water use in the UORC (DWAF 2003b) Wetland Database for UORC - 44 - Power generation Urban use Irrigation Mining & industrial Transfers out
3.6.2 Mining and Quarrying There is a strong correlation between coal and wetlands, since the precursor of coal is peat. For this reason several of the large wetlands in the catchment occur above shallow coal deposits. The mining of these coal deposits by open cast mining methods therefore results in the destruction of the overlaying wetlands. Coal mining in the Mpumalanga province is very important to the economy and a large amount of the coal (62% of coal that is not exported) is used for the generation of electricity. Wetlands are often impacted by surface coal mining, since the wetlands are located in low-laying areas and are therefore a shorter distance above the coal than the adjacent areas. These surface mining activities lead to the total destruction of the wetlands (Palmer et al 2002, Marneweck 2003, De Lange et al 2003, Marneweck 2004a, Wetland Consulting Services 2005). Underground mining can also have a significant impact on the wetlands, especially if the mines are located close to the surface. Mining activities influence both the water quantity and quality. The reduction of groundwater due to mining activities is not an uncommon feature and this lowering of the groundwater table may cause some wetlands to dry up. Acid mine drainage is another common feature once the mining activities have ceased. If the polluted mine water decants from the mine, and thereby enters the surface drainage system it will add pollution to the already stressed environment. The long term environmental impact of these mining activities is not yet known (Palmer et al 2002). The impacts from underground mines on the wetlands are less drastic than from open cast mines and can be further limited by best practice mining activities, such as the proper management of mine water. Artificial wetlands are formed by the subsidence of mines, thereby creating depressions, but the fauna and flora associated with these wetlands can differ from the species in a natural system. This subsidence may also cause alterations in the topography of existing wetlands, altering the hydrological processes and the location of the different wetness zones within the wetland (Palmer et al 2002). Although all of the wetland types, including artificial wetlands, can be threatened by mining activities some wetland types are more threatened than others. The wetlands at greatest risk from the mining activities include (Palmer et al 2002, Marneweck 2003, De Lange et al 2003, Marneweck 2004a, Wetland Consulting Services 2005); Wetland Database for UORC - 45 -
Page 1 and 2: COALTECH UPPER OLIFANTS RIVER CATCH
Page 3 and 4: The following aspects are included
Page 5 and 6: The most common wetland types in th
Page 7 and 8: The attributes allocated based on t
Page 9 and 10: 6. DATABASE CONSTRAINTS............
Page 11 and 12: Addendums Addendum A - Plant specie
Page 13 and 14: Figure 1. Extent of the UORC (refer
Page 15 and 16: The aim of the wetland layer is to
Page 17 and 18: 3.3 Wetland biodiversity Wetlands p
Page 19 and 20: Table 1: Species of concern Species
Page 21 and 22: Species name Common name Hottentot
Page 23 and 24: Species name Common name Cordylus g
Page 25 and 26: 3.3.2 Birds Various bird species ut
Page 27 and 28: 3.3.6 Fish The UORC has a low diver
Page 29 and 30: Figure 2. Schematic illustration of
Page 31 and 32: 3.4.1.2 Floodplain riparian Floodpl
Page 33 and 34: 3.4.4 Other non-riparian wetlands O
Page 35 and 36: 3.5.1.2 Groundwater recharge Variou
Page 37 and 38: More important in the removal of me
Page 39 and 40: The flow velocity in the channel of
Page 41 and 42: The most important fishing activity
Page 43: 3.5.6.3 Livestock Diseases Various
Page 47 and 48: • Dwars-in-die-wegspruit at the l
Page 49 and 50: 3.6.4 Burning Wetlands are burnt on
Page 51 and 52: 3.6.9 Alien Fauna and Flora 3.6.9.1
Page 53 and 54: Category 3 plant invaders are plant
Page 55 and 56: o The Fish Assemblage Integrity Ind
Page 57 and 58: Figure 4. The ecoregions of the Oli
Page 59 and 60: Sixteen fish species (four of which
Page 61 and 62: Figure 5. Extent of the UORC accord
Page 63 and 64: 3.9 Common wetland types in UORC Ac
Page 65 and 66: In a wetland assessment conducted a
Page 67 and 68: In a wetland study at Douglas Colli
Page 69 and 70: Figure 8. Status of assessed wetlan
Page 71 and 72: Figure 9. Portion of the wetland la
Page 73 and 74: Figure 11. Portion of the water bod
Page 75 and 76: Figure 13. Portion of the separated
Page 77 and 78: Figure 15. Portion of the wetland l
Page 79 and 80: Since the field verification site v
Page 81 and 82: Figure 18. Portion of the final wet
Page 83 and 84: Upon a request from DWAF the status
Page 85 and 86: 5.8 Functions The functions likely
Page 87 and 88: 5.11 Wetland types The entire catch
Page 89 and 90: 6. DATABASE CONSTRAINTS The greates
Page 91 and 92: Figure 21. The wetland in the UORC
Page 93 and 94: 8.2 Mapping o Small wetlands (of le
Page 95 and 96:
The attributes in the attribute tab
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10. REFERENCES Abbott Grobicki (Pty
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Goudie, A.S. & Thomas, D.S.G. 1985.
Page 101 and 102:
Merot, P., Squividant, H., Aurousse
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Wilson, R.T. 2003. Animal health an
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Addendum A - Plan species list Wetl
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var. lachnantha Lamiaceae Ajuga oph
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Asteraceae Berkheya onopordifolia B
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Poaceae Chloris pycnothrix Chloroph
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Poaceae Boraginaceae incompletus Cy
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Poaceae Echinochloa cruspavonis * *
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Asteraceae Gamochaeta subfalcata Y
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Sterculiaceae Sterculiaceae Poaceae
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Cyperaceae Kyllinga erecta Kyllinga
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Asteraceae Nidorella anamola Nympho
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Polygonaceae Apiaceae Poaceae Apiac
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Brassicaceae Rorippa nudiuscula * *
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Poaceae Setaria verticillata * Malv
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Asteraceae Ursinia nana * * * Lenti
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Addendum B - Mammal species list We
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Cynictis Yellow Carnivora penicilla
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Addendum C - Bird species list Wetl
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Actitis hypoleucos Actophilornis Co
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Ceryle rudis Nectarinia Pied Kingfi
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Eremopterix verticalis Estrilda ast
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Netta erythrophthalma Numida meleag
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Spizocorys conirostris Pinkbilled L
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Addendum D - Reptile species list W
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Elapidae Naja haje Egyptian cobra X
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Group Species name Common name Pipi
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Addendum F - Fish species list Wetl
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Austroglansis sclateri X X Barbus a
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Phylum Group Species name Common na
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Arachnida Tanycypris obtusa Hydroze
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gibba Daphnia pulex Simocephalus ca
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Ischnura senegalensis Pseuddgrion s
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Micronecta sp. Micronecta piccanin
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Hydraenidae Hydrophilida e Berosus
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MOLLUSCA Simulium adersi Simulium ?
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