Download PDF - Anchor Environmental

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Economy Agriculture dominates much of the upper Uilkraals River Catchment, with wineries, fruit cultivation and fynbos cultivation being the most important contributors to this sector. Tourism is a major economic contributor across the catchment, through nature based recreation and holiday destinations. The estuary is considered a bird watching destination and recreational fishing remains a draw card. In addition, Pearly Beach and the Uilenkraalsmond Resort are big attractions to the Uilkraals catchment, where the popularity as a holiday destination results in a fourfold increase in the population over the holiday seasons. The Overstrand has had the highest positive annual Gross Domestic Product growth in the Overberg District since 1995 (Local Economic Development 2008). In 2008, the Gross Domestic Product for the Overberg District was estimated to be in the region of R4 billion, equivalent to approximately only 0.3% of the national GDP (Local Economic Development 2008). Uilkraals Estuary Situation Assessment 17 Anchor Environmental
3. ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONING OF THE ESTUARY 3.1 Mouth dynamics, hydrology and channel shape The Uilkraals Estuary has been classified as a temporarily open-closed estuary (Whitfield 2000), and is a mixed (in terms of salinity), blackwater system (van Niekerk unpubl. data). When functioning naturally, the estuary has tidal exchange and a high frequency of connection to the sea, similar to the Palmiet and Kleinmond estuaries, but is in a more advanced stage of progressive infilling and reduction of the tidal prism (Harrison et al. 1995a). The road bridge, which was constructed in 1973, is approximately 220 m long and crosses the river approximately 800 m from the mouth (Figure 9 and Figure 10). It is supported on the eastern side by a high embankment of rubble spanning almost two-thirds of the original high tide river width (Gaigher 1984). The remaining 100 m are supported by concrete pylons, effectively halving the width of the estuary there and concentrating the river flow against the western bank (Heydorn & Bickerton 1982). In 1978 a 150 m long rubble and rock embankment was built on the beach in front of the beach facing bungalows, forcing the estuary mouth eastwards, away from the caravan park (Heydorn & Bickerton 1982). However, the embankment was quickly eroded by wave and tidal action and a shallow, stagnant pool of water and a series of sand dunes formed on the beach in front of the bungalows (Figure 9). In the past the estuary mouth opened over a beach with a relatively flat profile and the open mouth status was probably maintained by strong tidal currents (Harrison 2004). Tidal currents play a major role in maintaining a connection with the sea in cool and warm-temperate estuaries (unlike subtropical estuaries, where river flow is the major factor; Cooper et al. 1999, Cooper 2001). Seasonal closure and migration of the estuary occurs due to strong seasonal variations of river flow and wave climate where limited river flow allows the formation of a sand bar across the estuary mouth. Uilkraals Estuary Situation Assessment 18 Anchor Environmental
Page 1 and 2: C.A.P.E. Estuaries Management Progr
Page 3 and 4: ubble spanning almost two-thirds of
Page 5 and 6: estuary’s functioning is catered
Page 7 and 8: ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS WMA BAS
Page 9 and 10: The reserve determination process .
Page 11 and 12: construction of the Kraaibosch dam
Page 13 and 14: The Uilkraals catchment lies within
Page 15 and 16: The Kraaibosch dam (Figure 6) was c
Page 17: eaches and tourism and fishing indu
Page 21 and 22: The first time in recorded history
Page 23 and 24: 3.2 Water chemistry The distributio
Page 25 and 26: other associated high water levels.
Page 27 and 28: 3.6 Fish Estuaries provide an extre
Page 29 and 30: Table 2. Species composition, abund
Page 31 and 32: For this study, a count of water-as
Page 33 and 34: score of 55 (van Niekerk, unpubl. d
Page 35 and 36: 4. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES 4.1 What are
Page 37 and 38: isolation, but only inasmuch as it
Page 39 and 40: 4.8 Genetic resources Genetic resou
Page 41 and 42: 5. LEGISLATION AND MANAGEMENT ISSUE
Page 43 and 44: Land use & management Water quality
Page 45 and 46: Table 10. Provincial and local gove
Page 47 and 48: Goal # Goal Strategies practices do
Page 49 and 50: 5.4 Exploitation of living marine r
Page 51 and 52: In terms of ICMA, all land within o
Page 53 and 54: (e) stabilising walls; (f) building
Page 55 and 56: Table 14 (Overstrand Local Municipa
Page 57 and 58: Table 13. Overberg District Spatial
Page 59 and 60: Component Strategy with spatial imp
Page 61 and 62: Component Strategy with spatial imp
Page 63 and 64: Table 14. Overstrand Local Municipa
Page 65 and 66: Component Description Policies 9. S
Page 67 and 68: Issues of surrounding land use and
Page 69 and 70:
protected area by a single manageme
Page 71 and 72:
6. REFERENCES Adams, J.B., Bate, G.
Page 73 and 74:
Smith, N & Cullinan, C. 2000. Revie
Page 75 and 76:
8. Plan for awareness-raising and p
show all

Download PDF - Anchor Environmental

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?