Sabie River Basin, South AfricaIntegrated River Basin Management by Gutewelt & PartnerKatharina Schulthess & Lara Widmer June 2016

Where are we?

Komati

Crocodile

Sabie

Maputo Indian ocean

Sabie river basin = tributary of Komati

Transboundary management issue

Sabie town

Injaka Dam

Corumana Dam

MozambiqueSouth Africa Krüger National Park

Catchment sections and water use

1 2 3Household use – drinking waterAgroforestry – extinguish firesAgriculture – irrigationTourism – luxury, pools, golf courts

Part of the natural environmentPermits great biodiversity

Dam supplyDrinking water & Electricity for the region down to Maputo

Sabie town

Injaka Dam

Corumana Dam

MozambiqueSouth Africa Krüger National Park

•all year flow, big variability with 1/100 yearly floods and droughts, e-flowRiver type

•most biodiverse river in South AfricaBiodiversity

•buffer zones (A,B) help natural self-purificationWater quality

•Transboundary, different interest zonesRegulatiorry system

•big inequalities and unemploymentSocioeconomic system

Environmental situation with natural buffer zones

A B

Sabie town

Injaka Dam

Corumana Dam

MozambiqueSouth Africa Krüger National Park

•all year flow, big variability with 1/100 yearly floods and droughts, e-flowRiver type

•most biodiverse river in South AfricaBiodiversity

•buffer zones (A,B) help natural self-purificationWater quality

•Transboundary, different interest zonesRegulatiorry system

•big inequalities and unemploymentSocioeconomic system

Environmental situation with natural buffer zones

A B

Sustainability Issues & Water Management

Considerations

Integrated river basin

management

Environmental Flows

Water Quality in Rivers and

Lakes

Allow natural variability of the ecosystems and secure the

livability of local community

Ensure river diversity and allow natural fluctuations

Flow regime: 70% at min 3.5 m3/s 8-10 flood events/y

Allow droughts

Research the resilience of river and tributaries

Get acknowledgement for the biodiversity of the Sabie river

Presence in tourist guides, Research collaboration

Water securityList of measures for drinking

water supply and flood protection

Promote green growth (population growth & land

use)

Level and understanding of sustainability of new

businesses

Enable economic prosperityDecrease unemployment to 50% by 2030 and to 25% by

2040

General objectives

Live cycle of our management plan

Assessment and Stakeholder Involvement• User

association -> decision making body

• Sets goals and objectives

Active facilitation of the process, participatory planning• Sustain e-flow • Collaboration ->

knowledge transfer & capacity building

• Experienced partners around the world

Advisory phase • Implementation• Monitoring

Exit strategy • Elected local

management team takes over

Stakeholders – User associationSA chatchment inhabitants

SA chatchment foresters

SA chatchment farmers

Krüger National Park management

Tourism association (outside KNP)

SA Injaka dam management

MB Corumana dam management

MB chatchment inhabitants

Management plan

Environmental flow

Flow dependent indicator species

InvertebratesFish MammalsRiparian plant species

Flood protection & Droughts

WUA: • Interconnectivity (information about

incidents)• Integrate needs of up- and

downstream users

Flood events• Construction zones• protection by floodplain management• Ensure drinking water

Droughts• Ensure water supply (Injaka dam)

Water supply & treatment and sanitation

Water supply• in towns: extend existing system to a

centralized distribution• rural: treatment on household level

Water treatment and sanitation• waterless toilet facilities (e.g.

composting chamber)

Sanitation

Composting chamber• Human excreta• Kitchen waste (organics)

compost can be used for agriculture

Agriculture & Forestry

Employment of peopleSupport local community• Self-supply• Supply of eco-hotels

raise awareness of people (workshops)Microcredits or co-subsidies for

fundingenhance awareness of conventional

tourism sector

Ecotourism

Increasing and promising tourist sectorEmployment of peopleDevelopment of new tourist sector• Include local work and products• Increase employment

invite people with experience and organize workshops

microcredits for funding

Research & Education

Education in school about importance of biodiversity and natural variability

Cooperation with University of Johannesburg (UJ)• Monitoring of flow and indicator

species• New research on ground water and

water quality

model catchment for sustainable development in South Africa

Research & Education

Historical research work and dataContinue research

unique example of long-term knowledge and systems understanding

Allow natural variability of the ecosystems and secure

the livability of local community

Ensure river diversity and allow natural fluctuations

Flow regime: 70% at min 3.5 m3/s 8-10 flood

events/y Allow droughts

Research the resilience of river and tributaries

Get acknowledgement for the biodiversity of the

Sabie river

Presence in tourist guides, Research collaboration

Water securityList of measures for

drinking water supply and flood protection

Promote green growth (population growth & land

use)

Level and understanding of sustainability of new

businesses

Enable economic prosperityDecrease unemployment to 50% by 2030 and to 25% by

2040

General objectives& Conclusion

Conclusion• Feasible• Great potential• Holistic approach

with all stakeholders included

• Overcome transboundaryproblems and increases potential for national cooperation

• Serves as model catchment

• Increased health and security

• Increased employment and livability