Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting

assuming that the water does not have any potentially toxic ingredients to assist with
cleansing the panel surfaces. A regular supply is required to initiate and replenish the
required volumes, especially given the high evaporation rates in the area, and this
will be taken from a pipeline that supplies the farmhouse and passes through the
panel arrays. Access to and maintenance of the supply has to be built into the overall
design, the details of which are still under development.
• Loss of conservation-significant taxa and/or changes in community structure –
The relatively small footprint of the total solar array on the landscape is unlikely to
cause direct and widespread loss of threatened fauna taxa or change in community
structure. It is placed in the least sensitive and productive habitat on Zuurwater, and
the actual footprint of the table's feet is limited and expected to be temporary and
capable of rehabilitation. It is however expected that the plant species composition
will change, but being the least sensitive area on the farm, this is not considered to
have a great influence on any rare plant species.
• Increased habitat fragmentation & loss of connectivity – The scope of the solar
panel array within the greater area is unlikely to have any significant effect on habitat
fragmentation or connectivity, especially for birds that can move over, under and
around the development. The affected habitats are widespread all around the
development and even the Koa River washes are relatively ill-defined, broadly
distributed and thus unlike more typical riverine/riparian systems that are such
sensitive movement corridors.
• Increased anthropogenic encroachment – The solar panel arrays do markedly
extend the normal anthropogenic effects for this arid and sparsely populated farming
region, but on a relatively small spatial (