WATER CONSERVATION

WHY THE NEED FOR WATER CONSERVATION? Michael Rattray's family has for a period of 34 years owned Mala Mala Game Reserve in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, adjoining the Kruger National Park. Prior to this, Mr Rattray's association with The Kruger National Park extends as far back as 1938. During this time, as a consumer of water both directly for his camps and indirectly for the wildlife that drinks from the rivers flowing through these wildlife properties, he has watched concerned, as the river levels dropped lower each year. In the winter of 1982, the perennial Sand River on Mala Mala stopped flowing for the first time in living memory. Whilst the flow resumed again in the wet summer months, the Sand River assumed non-perennial status and flowed intermittently each year thereafter during the dry winter period. This is the unfortunate state of affairs with most of The Kruger National Park's rivers and it is vital that something is done to reverse this trend. The continual decline in instream flows must impact negatively on wildlife biodiversity in parks such as The Kruger National Park with a possible worst case scenario being the resultant decline in tourism numbers. The protection of our water resource is necessary to ensure the sustainability of our wildlife biodiversity and hence the ongoing increase in tourism arrivals. WHAT CAUSES RIVER DEGRADATION? Water sources are extremely fragile eco-systems and are sensitive to exploitative practices often employed by forestry, agriculture and industry. Whilst numerous differing reasons are attributed to the critical impasse facing South Africa's water supply, man's interference with nature is undoubtedly high on the list of culprits.

Over-utilisation and pollution have degraded a great deal of the riverine habitat, thereby reducing the supply and quality of the water in our rivers. Salinity and acidity resulting from mining, industrial and urban development in the Highveld region have increased, thus affecting the Oliphants River. Encroachment into and the utilisation of wetlands, marshes and sponges by agricultural and other activities, has affected their ability to function as natural water filters. Massive afforestation of the catchments and the associated demand by timber for the available precipitation, restricts instream flows in the lower reaches of the rivers. Overgrazing and soil erosion is causing extensive siltation of the middleveld and lowveld sections of the rivers. Utilisation of water for farming, power generation, mining and mineral processing and for household use has depleted the ability of the rivers to scour and cleanse themselves. Widespread siltation in many rivers has modified the riverbeds to such an extent that they are entirely devoid of pools, which are required to sustain aquatic life. Dams are causing serious obstacles for fish migrations and have led to the disappearance of a number of fish species. Unnatural water releases emanating from man made structures disrupt the life cycles of aquatic fauna. Large die-offs in The Kruger National Park resulting from rivers running dry have resulted in the past decade.

Whilst dams are perfect receptacles for holding water when alternatives are not available, water retaining sponges in mountainous catchment areas provide an extremely efficient method of water provision on a sustainable basis and the water released in this manner is not contaminated in any way. It must be acknowledged that conscientious protection of the "sponges" is the optimum form of water supply.

Mountainous regions form the basis of water catchment areas (approximately 80% of a river emanates in the top 20% of the catchment) and are environmentally extremely sensitive. Due to the cold winters, the growing season is not long and in addition, the flora species are highly sensitive to environmental degradation.

Overgrazing damages the water retaining sponges in three ways. Firstly, overgrazed agricultural land is permitted to heat up under the sun and as a consequence, water evaporates quickly without being afforded an opportunity to permeate the soil for slow release on a sustainable basis. Secondly, overgrazed lands also permit any breeze to speed up evaporation and similarly reduce permeation of water into the soil. Thirdly, overgrazing removes grass cover on the ground, which permits water to flow in volume over the ground after heavy rains, causing wash away of the topsoil. The concept of soil erosion is extremely serious as it inflicts damage on the terrain in a vicious circle. Once soil erosion has been permitted to establish itself as a threat, the grass disappears as the topsoil is washed away. This inhibits the grass cover from slowing down water flow, which in turn allows fast flowing water to further inflict damage by washing topsoil away. Grass cover and the eradication of soil erosion are probably the single most important factors when considering the negative effects of water conservation from a surface point of view.

The Department of Water Affairs & Forestry in South Africa is ever concerned about water consumption. We are in fact not concerned about water consumption but alternatively with the rehabilitation and protection of water retaining sponges. Our philosophy dictates that the more water you provide from healthy sponges, the less one has to be concerned about consumption. The catchments of South Africa are in many instances completely forested. Agricultural plantations are enormous consumers of water. Pine and eucalyptus trees standing on their own can consume up to 250 liters and 500 liters of water per day respectively. In a plantation comprising millions of trees on a single landscape, these same single trees can consume 35 liters and 50 liters per day respectively. This illustrates the amount of water being drawn off from the water table by forestry.

His first response to this land acquisition was the removal of all exotic livestock. The use of these former summer grazing areas for sheep and cattle had denuded the flora and in turn damaged the catchment areas of the five rivers that rise on the property. Overgrazing of the grass cover had seriously affected the water retaining sponges, but the simple removal of bulk indiscriminate grazers, restored the rivers to produce a strong year round flow. Michael Rattray's passion for new forms of conservation and his vision and commitment, was his reasoning behind acquiring the source of the rivers where some misinformed farmers were inflicting much of the damage.

The Mount Anderson Water Catchment Reserve was formed and proclaimed in 1993. A process whereby the negative effects of overgrazing and inadequate road maintenance had caused soil erosion was immediately addressed and resulted in a short period, in the most severe thunderstorms producing crystal clear water. A comprehensive exotic plant eradication program was also initiated with the removal of all plants and trees not indigenous to the area. Exotic vegetation that was removed included eucalyptus, wattle, and pine.

The necessity to protect catchments is borne out of the fact that 80% of any river's flow emanates from 20% of its most upstream area.

The Mount Anderson Catchment Nature Reserve will employ the services of suitably qualified environmentally orientated scientists to assist in the management of the area as a single conservation unit.

It is without doubt a unique contribution that Michael Rattray has made to water conservation. The rivers will now remain strong to provide valuable water downstream to irrigate the food crops, so vitally necessary to feed the burgeoning population of South Africa. His concern for high altitude fauna and flora is also evident in his introduction to the conservancy, at his own expense, of those animals that are indigenous to the area. In the four years since the transformation of this land into a conservancy, the previously overgrazed, palatable grasses are now in abundance and the quality of the savanna is fast returning to its former health.

Finally, such is the rate at which the rehabilitation is progressing on Mount Anderson Ranch that many bird species have returned to the savannah. It is widely recognised that bird species are an excellent and easily recognisable indication of the condition of the environment.

Degradation of catchments in South Africa has resulted in exports of more topsoil than all the exports of mined products combined.

 

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