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seen hundreds and even thousands of waders and terns around the estuary. In February 2010 a total of
only 60 waders were counted. This is most likely due to a loss in the intertidal feeding habitat which
covered the entire sandlfat region below and above the causeway. The estuary also seems to have
become less suitable as a tern roosting site.
The Uilkraals Estuary is now categorised as a D-class estuary in terms of its present state of health. This
means it is considered to be a ”largely modified” system. Although the estuary currently receives 80% of
its Mean Annual Runoff (MAR), the loss of an important part of the natural hydrology of the estuary has
been removed (winter and summer base flows), which has modified the natural condition and caused the
estuary to become permanently closed off from the sea. This has resulted in changes to the habitats
within and around the estuary (i.e. microalgae abundance and saltmarsh areas) and has caused a
decrease in the number of bird species, especially waders utilising the estuary. It is likely that the
estuary’s condition will continue to deteriorate. Turpie & Clark (2007) listed the Uilkraals Estuary as a
high priority estuary for rehabilitation. Alien plant clearance and the removal of the causeway were
listed as the types of requirements needed to rehabilitate the estuary. Increasing the freshwater inflows
and ensuring more natural flows into the system are also needed.
Ecosystem services
Estuaries provide a range of services that have economic or welfare value. In the case of the Uilkraals
Estuary, the most important of these are the recreational and tourism values of the estuary as well as the
provision of a nursery area for fish. There may be additional services, such as carbon sequestration, but
these are not likely to be of major value.
The Uilkraals Estuary is a popular tourist destination for local and regional South African tourists. The
area surrounding the mouth of the estuary has been developed on the west bank in the form of the
Uilenkraalsmond Holiday Resort, which includes the municipal caravan and camping park as well as
associated recreational amenities located on the site. This establishment is generally full during the
major holiday periods. Birding and recreational opportunities represent an important draw card for
visitors to the estuary.
Legislation and management issues
Little legislation has been designed for estuaries in particular. However, the fact that estuaries contain
freshwater, terrestrial and marine components, and are heavily influenced by activities in a much broader
catchment and adjacent marine area, means that they are affected by a large number of policies and
laws. There is also no specific provision for Estuarine Protected Areas. The Department of Water and
Environmental Affairs Estuary is the primary agency responsible for estuary management in South Africa
with a small amount of responsibility (fisheries) attributable to the Deapartment of Agriculture and
Fishies. Environmental management in most instances is devolved to provincial level, aside from water
resources and fisheries which remain a national competancy. At a municipal level, by-laws are passed
which cannot conflict with provincial and national laws. The Uilkraals Estuary lies wholly within the
Overstrand Local Municipality, which falls within the Overberg District Municipality of the Western Cape
Province.
Water quality and quantity are mainly controlled under the National Water Act 36 of 1998. This makes
provision for an Environmental Reserve which stipulates the quantity and quality of water flow required
to protect the natural functioning of each water resource, including estuaries. The extent to which an
Uilkraals Estuary Situation Assessment
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