Uilkraals Situation Assessment - Anchor Environmental

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EconomyAgriculture dominates much of the upper Uilkraals River Catchment, with wineries, fruitcultivation and fynbos cultivation being the most important contributors to this sector.Tourism is a major economic contributor across the catchment, through nature basedrecreation and holiday destinations. The estuary is considered a bird watching destination andrecreational fishing remains a draw card. In addition, Pearly Beach and the UilenkraalsmondResort are big attractions to the Uilkraals catchment, where the popularity as a holidaydestination results in a fourfold increase in the population over the holiday seasons. TheOverstrand has had the highest positive annual Gross Domestic Product growth in theOverberg District since 1995 (Local Economic Development 2008). In 2008, the Gross DomesticProduct for the Overberg District was estimated to be in the region of R4 billion, equivalent toapproximately only 0.3% of the national GDP (Local Economic Development 2008).Uilkraals Estuary Situation Assessment17Anchor Environmental
3. ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONING OFTHE ESTUARY3.1 Mouth dynamics, hydrology and channel shapeThe 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). Whenfunctioning naturally, the estuary has tidal exchange and a high frequency of connection to thesea, similar to the Palmiet and Kleinmond estuaries, but is in a more advanced stage ofprogressive 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 riverapproximately 800 m from the mouth (Figure 9 and Figure 10). It is supported on the easternside by a high embankment of rubble spanning almost two‐thirds of the original high tide riverwidth (Gaigher 1984). The remaining 100 m are supported by concrete pylons, effectivelyhalving the width of the estuary there and concentrating the river flow against the westernbank (Heydorn & Bickerton 1982). In 1978 a 150 m long rubble and rock embankment wasbuilt on the beach in front of the beach facing bungalows, forcing the estuary moutheastwards, away from the caravan park (Heydorn & Bickerton 1982). However, theembankment was quickly eroded by wave and tidal action and a shallow, stagnant pool ofwater 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 openmouth status was probably maintained by strong tidal currents (Harrison 2004). Tidal currentsplay a major role in maintaining a connection with the sea in cool and warm‐temperateestuaries (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 seasonalvariations of river flow and wave climate where limited river flow allows the formation of asand bar across the estuary mouth.Uilkraals Estuary Situation Assessment18Anchor Environmental
Page 1: C.A.P.E. Estuaries Management Progr
Page 6 and 7: Need for protection of the Uilkraal
Page 8 and 9: TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION...
Page 10 and 11: 1. INTRODUCTIONThe Uilkraals Estuar
Page 12 and 13: 2. GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIO‐ECONOMIC
Page 14 and 15: 2.2 Catchment climate, vegetation a
Page 16 and 17: Figure 7: Annual rainfall for the U
Page 20 and 21: Figure 9. An aerial view of the Uil
Page 22 and 23: Figure 12. Pictures of the exposed
Page 24 and 25: 3.4 VegetationThere are four main v
Page 26 and 27: covered 19 ha and grassland 1.3 ha.
Page 28: Because the Uilkraals Estuary is ca
Page 31 and 32: For this study, a count of water‐
Page 33 and 34: iophysical variables. The current s
Page 36 and 37: Table 8. Ecosystem goods, services
Page 38 and 39: Estuaries are typically shallow and
Page 40 and 41: strands of remnant undisturbed fynb
Page 42 and 43: • to have the environment protect
Page 44 and 45: ProtectedareasUse of living resourc
Page 46 and 47: Table 11.Goals and strategies in th
Page 48 and 49: 5.3 Water quantity and quality requ
Page 50 and 51: Development planning has been rathe
Page 52 and 53: and weakening or destruction of the
Page 54 and 55: • take into consideration whether
Page 56 and 57: principles involve identifying an o
Page 58 and 59: Component Strategy with spatial imp
Page 64 and 65: Component Description PoliciesConse
Page 66 and 67: Component Description PoliciesCore
Page 68 and 69:
Other recreational activities are o
Page 70 and 71:
2. Establish a Marine Protected Are
Page 72 and 73:
Gillanders, B.M. & Kingsford, M.J.
Page 74 and 75:
APPENDIX 1: TERMS OF REFERENCEThe d
Page 76:
6. Monitoring and evaluationAn appr
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