NFEPA Atlas 5.3_20111025_FINAL.indd - Biodiversity GIS - SANBI

The Elands River: A unique biodiversity haven and a life linefor its peopleThe Elands River arises on the grassland plateau of the Drakensberg mountains nearMachadodorp, flows downstream until it reaches the Crocodile River in MpumalangaProvince, which links with the Inkomati River that flows across the Mozambican borderand eventually meets the Indian Ocean.Here we have a river that both South Africa and Mozambique are dependent on to ensurethat water quality and quantity needs are met for drinking and other uses. For example,the Crocodile River, into which the Elands River flows, is a major supplier of drinking waterto the town of Nelspruit. The good water quality and quantity of the Elands River helps todilute pollutants in the more heavily used Crocodile River.The Elands River is also a haven for biodiversity in South Africa. Concerned landowners,registered water users, aquatic biologists from the University of Johannesburg and theUniversity of the North, local and national public organisations such as MpumalangaTourism and Parks Agency, the Free State Nature Reserve, and CapeNature, as well as theResource Quality Service specialists from the Department of Water Affairs, are all wellaware of the special nature of this river. This is illustrated by the formation of the ElandsRiver Conservancy which includes a number of landowners. More recently, in 2004, theElands River Yellowfish Conservation Area (ERYCA) was also established.The Elands River helps to provide good qualitydrinking water to downstream towns andusers, for example in Nelspruit and even inMozambique. With a beautiful waterfall at eachend, it is a refuge for many threatened fish whichcould become a major draw card for angling iftheir populations are restored.The Mzimkulu River: Valued from source to seaThis free-flowing river of KwaZulu-Natal arises in the Drakensberg Mountainsand flows downstream to meet the ocean at Port Shepstone. Mzimkulu means“home of all rivers” and considering the rich cultural history surrounding theriver it is clearly also “home to all people” such as the early Khoi and San, theNguni, and the Zulu people; the English, German and Norwegian settlers; andmore recently a range of landowners, rural communities and tourists.The water quality of the Mzimkulu, from its source in the mountains to the seais excellent, with the primary impact on the river being the reduction of waterquantity for farming and other activities. Much of the activity along this riverdepends on its natural state.The Mzimkulu River, from its source inthe mountains to the sea, is in excellentcondition. Much of the activity alongthis river depends on its natural state,including dairy farming, tourism andthe fastest growing canoe race in thecountry.At its source the Mzimkulu lies within the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park,which is a World Heritage Site. The area owes this prestigious status to its rarerock paintings, the natural beauty of its basaltic buttresses, sandstone ramparts,high-altitude grasslands, pristine river valleys and gorges, and the resultant habitatswhich provide a home for numerous endemic and globally threatened species ofbirds and plants.The upper to middle part of the river is used for irrigation and dairy farming, bothof which benefit from the good quality of the water. In the lower reaches of theriver many communities depend on the water for subsistence farming livelihoods.At Port Shepstone, the Mzimkulu reaches the ocean in a relatively natural statemaking it one of the few healthy freshwater systems meeting the ocean along thiscoastline.All along the river there is vibrant tourist activity. From hikers drinking puremountain water to multiple secluded riverside resorts, bed and breakfasts andretreats. The river draws hoards of people who use it for swimming, canoeing,boating, fishing and skiing. For canoeing enthusiasts this river is home for thefastest growing race in the country. The “Drakensberg Challenge”, with a Zuluslogan “Abanganlovalu” (not for the faint-hearted), runs on this river because of itsnatural state, and the fact that it is unhindered by dams.By keeping the Mzimkulu in a free-flowing, natural state the river remains ableto offer this broad basket of opportunities to the communities and farmers ofthe Mzimkulu. This also provides a natural reference site to use for studying theecology of South African rivers.ERYCA is an active conservation initiative which aims to conserve a 60 km segment of theElands River which is isolated between two waterfalls – the Waterval-Boven and LindenauFalls. These falls act as natural barriers which have caused a unique array of aquaticorganisms to evolve here alone. The particular conservation focus is on Bushveld smallscaleyellowfish which are found only in this river. If this unique population of fish canbe restored to 1980s levels, it would become a major draw card for angling, one of thelargest sporting industries in South Africa. ERYCA also has the potential to support the reintroductionof the highly threatened Inkomati rock-catlet to the area.Managing the environment of Mpumalanga presents complex challenges. The upper partof the Elands River, for example, has been noted for its rich coal deposits. Mining in thisecologically sensitive area would have huge impacts on water quality and quantity in thearea. Having an active and aware community, working together with other stakeholders,will help promote good planning and decision-making to ensure that the Elands Rivermaintains its free-flowing character, and continues to support water quality and quantityneeds in the region.Brian CollotyMtamvuna RiverNational map products- 41 -