coaltech upper olifants river catchment wetland inventory ...

In a wetland assessment conducted as part of a proposed new extension of the Elders Strip
and Underground Mine (1), the status of the wetlands on the property was investigated
(Marneweck 2003). The investigated area is located to the north of Bethal. The current status
of the wetlands differs from the historical status of the wetlands due to impacts of agriculture,
as well as, the road and railway infrastructure. The wetlands in the area are not in a pristine
condition, but can be considered to be in a relatively natural state. There are however,
sections of the wetlands that have been disturbed, with some erosion taking place on some
portions, and signs of overgrazing, and poor water quality due to discharges in portions of
the wetland. Another disturbance is the farm dams located in the drainage channel.
Cultivation practices have mostly taken place outside the floodplains, pans and riparian
areas, but seepage areas have been lost due to cultivation. Agricultural practices in the area
had an indirect impact on all of the pans, through cultivation, damming, water abstraction, or
other activities (Marneweck 2003).
The assessments on the aquatic ecosystems at the Elders Strip and Underground Mine (1),
focussing on SASS and fish also concluded that the wetland system was moderately
modified to largely natural (Palmer and Engelbrecht 2003). The species from the assessment
are included in the species lists (Addendums to this report).
Several of the wetlands in the Goedehoop Colliery (2) area have been impacted on by
various activities, mainly damming. Agricultural practices also have an impact on the
wetlands by reducing water into the wetland systems. Water is extracted from the dams to
irrigate crops and water livestock, thereby reducing the flow in the streams. Several alien
species also occur in the wetlands, indicating disturbed conditions (De Lange et al 2003).
In a study conducted on Goedgevonden to the south of Ogies (2) seven wetland types were
identified (Marneweck 2004a, Wetland Consulting Services 2005):
o Valley bottom wetlands with channels;
o Valley bottom wetlands without channels;
o Hillslope seepage connected to watercourses;
o Isolated hillslope seepage;
o Hillslope seepage connected to pans;
o Pans; and
o Mined wetlands.
Most of the wetlands in the area have been moderately to critically modified (Marneweck
2004a, Wetland Consulting Services 2005).
Wetland Database for UORC - 65 -