WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
RESOURCE DIRECTED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION OF
WATER RESOURCES
RIVER ECOSYSTEMS
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
South Africa
REPORT NUMBER: N/29/99
STATUS: VERSION 1.0
DATE:
24 SEPTEMBER 1999
SENIOR AUTHORS (in alphabetical order):
Dr A Bath, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Dr CJ Kleynhans, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms MD Louw, IWR Environmental
Dr H MacKay, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr JN Rossouw, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Published by
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Private Bag X313
Pretoria
0001
Republic of South Africa
Tel +27 (0)12 336 7500
ISBN X-XXXX-XXXX-X (Set)
ISBN X-XXXX-XXXX-X (Volume 5)
Copyright reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without full acknowledgement
of the source
This document should be cited as:
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (1999). Resource Directed Measures for
Protection of Water Resources. Volume 3: River Ecosystems Version 1.0, Pretoria.
Senior Editor:
Dr H M MacKay, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Produced by:
Institute for Water Quality Studies
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Private Bag X313
Pretoria 0001
This document is one of a series of 15 volumes comprising the set: Resource Directed
Measures for Protection of Water Resources.
Volume 1: Resource Directed Measures - Summary of Policy (to be included in Version
1.1)
Volume 2: Resource Directed Measures - Integrated Manual
Volume 3: Resource Directed Measures - River Ecosystems
Volume 4: Resource Directed Measures - Wetland Ecosystems
Volume 5: Resource Directed Measures - Estuarine Ecosystems
Volume 6: Resource Directed Measures - Groundwater Component
Volume 7: Resource Directed Measures - Basic Human Needs (to be included in Version
1.1)
Volume 8: Resource Directed Measures - Classification System for Water Resources
Volume 9: Resource Directed Measures - Study Manager’s Manual (to be included in
Version 1.1)
Volume 10:
Resource Directed Measures - Implementation Strategy (to be included in
Version 1.1)
Volume 11:
Resource Directed Measures - Crocodile River Pilot Study 1998 (to be
included in Version 1.1)
Volume 12:
Resource Directed Measures - Pienaars River Pilot Study 1999 (to be
included in Version 1.1)
Volume 13:
Resource Directed Measures - Communication Strategy (to be included in
Version 1.1)
Volume 14:
Resource Directed Measures - Capacity Building Strategy (to be included in
Version 1.1)
Volume 15:
Resource Directed Measures - Project Management Summary (to be included
in Version 1.1)
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION AND ASSESSMENT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
RESOURCE DIRECTED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES: RIVER
ECOSYSTEMS COMPONENT
Report Number:
N/29/99
Team Leaders:
Ms MD Louw, IWR Environmental
Mr JN Rossouw, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Senior Authors:
Dr A Bath, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Dr CJ Kleynhans, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms MD Louw, IWR Environmental
Dr H MacKay, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr JN Rossouw, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Editor:
Dr Heather MacKay, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms L Guest, Guest Environmental Management
Version:
Date:
1.0
24 September 1999-10-12
D:\..\f_rdm_october\rivers\version 1.0\riv_intro_version1.0.doc
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
i
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Acknowledgements
The following persons and organisations are thanked for their contributions to this project.
PROJECT TEAM
Project Manager:
Dr H M MacKay, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Project Co-ordinator:
Mr D F Grobler, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Project Administration:
Ms O Shapo, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms C Nkwentsha, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Sub-Project Team Leaders:
Dr J B Adams, University of Port Elizabeth
Dr A Bath, Ninham Shand
Mr T Duma, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr A Duthie, Oryx Environmental
Ms S Fowkes, Metaplan
Ms T Greyling, Manyaka Greyling Meiring
Ms L Hill, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms M D Louw, IWR Environmental
Mr J N Rossouw, Ninham Shand
Mr D J Roux, Environmentek, CSIR
Mr R Parsons, Parsons & Associates
Ms C Thirion, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms B C Weston, Social and Ecological Services, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Specialist Team Members (River Ecosystems):
Dr P J Ashton, Environmentek CSIR
Dr A Bath, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Dr A Birkhead, Streamflow Solutions
Dr J Day, University of Cape Town
Ms L Hill, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr B Hohls, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr G Huggins, IWR Environmental
Prof D Hughes, Institute for Water Research
Mr S Jooste, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr N Kemper, IWR Environmental
Ms V Kilian, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Dr C J Kleynhans, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms M D Louw, IWR Environmental
Dr H MacKay, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Prof J O’Keeffe, Institute for Water Research
Dr C G Palmer, Institute for Water Research
Ms L Rossouw, MetsiQual
Mr J N Rossouw, Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers
Dr D J Roux, Environmentek CSIR
Dr P-A Scherman, Institute for Water Research
Ms R Tharme, Southern Waters
Mr P van der Merwe, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Dr R Wadeson, IWR Environmental
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
ii
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
STEERING COMMITTEE
Dr H R van Vliet (Chair), Chief Director: Scientific Services, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr J van Rooyen, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr H Karodia, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr M Warren, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr P Viljoen, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Dr S Mitchell, Water Research Commission
Mr G Cowan, Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism
Mr W S Rowlston, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr P van Niekerk, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr E Braune, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr E Nel, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr G McConkey, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Mr Kelvin Legge, Department Of Water Affairs and Forestry
EDITING TEAM
Dr H MacKay, Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms L Guest, Guest Environmental Management
Dr G Pegram, Pula Strategic Resource Management
Ms M de Lange, Socio Technical Interfacing
Ms B Weston, Social and Ecological Services, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
iii
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Preface
This set of documents on Resource Directed Measures (RDM) for protection of water resources, issued in
September 1999 in Version 1.0, presents the procedures to be followed in undertaking preliminary
determinations of the class, Reserve and resource quality objectives for water resources, as specified in
sections 14 and 17 of the South African National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998).
The development of procedures to determine RDM was initiated by the Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry in July 1997. Phase 3 of this project will end in March 2000. Additional refinement and development
of the procedures, and development of the full water resource classification system, will continue in Phase 4,
until such time as the detailed procedures and full classification system are ready for publication in the
Government Gazette.
It should be noted that until the final RDM procedures are published in the Gazette, and prescribed according to
section 12 of the National Water Act, all determinations of RDM, whether at the rapid, the intermediate or the
comprehensive level, will be considered to be preliminary determinations.
Version 1.0 of the RDM procedures is for internal use within the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. It is
a set of working documents which will be updated on a regular basis. This version retains editor’s comments in
certain places in the text.
Version 1.1 is expected to be finalised and published in December 1999, and will be released for public
comment and discussion.
All technical queries and comments related to Version 1.0 should be addressed to:
Dr H M MacKay
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Private Bag X313
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
Tel +27 12 336 8222
Fax+27 12 336 8678
email deh@dwaf.pwv.gov.za
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
iv
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Abbreviations
DWAF
-
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
EMC -
Ecological Management Class
IFR
-
Instream Flow Requirements
RDM -
Resource Directed Measures
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
v
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Table of Contents
Section A:
Resource Directed Measures for River Ecosystems
A.1 Different levels of RDM determinations
A.2 The generic RDM methodology
A2
A2
A3
Section B:
Resource Directed Measures for River Ecosystems
(to be included in version 1.1)
Section C:
Procedure for Desktop Estimate of the Water Quantity Component
of the Ecological Reserve
C.1 What is in this section
C.2 Desktop Estimate of the Ecological Management Class
C2
C2
C3
Section D:
Procedure for Rapid Determination of RDM for River Ecosystems
D.1 What is in this section
D.2 Introduction
D.3 Determination of the ecological management class
D.4 Quantification of the Water Quantity Component of the Ecological Reserve
D.5 Quantification of the Water Quality Component of the Ecological Reserve
D2
D2
D2
D3
D4
D5
Section E:
Procedure for Intermediate Determination of RDM for River Ecosystems
E.1 What is in this section
E.2 Overview of tasks in intermediate determination of RDM
E2
E2
E2
Section F:
Methodology for Comprehensive Determination of RDM for river ecosystems
F.1
Overview
F2
F2
Appendices
Appendix R1:
Preliminary Ecoregion Classification System for South Africa
R1/2
Appendix R2:
Stream Classification
R2/2
Appendix R3:
Desktop Level Estimate of the Present Ecological Status for use
in the National Water Balance Model
R3/2
Intermediate Habitat Integrity Assessment
(for use in the rapid and intermediate habitat assessments)
R4/2
Habitat Integrity Assessment for the Comprehensive Determination
of the Ecological Reserve
R5/2
Appendix R6:
Procedure for assessing the present ecological status
R6/2
Appendix R7:
Assessment of Ecological Importance and Sensitivity
R7/2
Appendix R8:
Determination of the Social Importance of a Water Resource
R8/2
Appendix R9:
Incorporation of Economic Consideration into the RDM Determination:
A Proposed Conceptual Approach
R9/2
Appendix R4:
Appendix R5:
Appendix R13:
A Decision Support System for an Initial Low-Confidence Estimate
of the Quantity Component of the Ecological Reserve for Rivers
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
R13/2
vi
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Appendix R16:
Providing Hydrological Information and Data Analysis Tools
for the Determination of Ecological Instream Flow Requirements
for South African Rivers
R16/2
The Procedure for Generating Hydraulic Information and Intermediate
and Comprehensive Ecological Reserves (Quantity)
R17/2
Appendix R18:
Role of Geomorphology in Intermediate Ecological Reserve Determination
R18/2
Appendix R19:
The Procedure for Generating Riparian Vegetation Information for the
Comprehensive and Intermediate Reserve (Quantity)
R19/2
The Use of Ecological Information on Fish in the Specification
of the Flow Component of the Reserve (Desktop, Rapid, Intermediate
and Comprehensive Determinations
R20/2
The Procedure for Generating Aquatic Invertebrate Information
for the Intermediate and Comprehensive Ecological Reserve (Quantity)
for Rivers
R21/2
Procedure for Selecting Sites in Intermediate and Comprehensive
Determination of the Ecological Reserve (Water Quantity Component)
R22/2
Appendix R23:
Resource Quality Objectives: Determination of Habitat Integrity Objectives
R23/2
Appendix R24:
Analysis of Previous IFR Results
R24/2
Appendix R25:
Giving Effect to the Reserve: Yield Modelling and Design
of System Operating Rules
R25/2
Using Ecological Management to derive integrated Resource Quality
Objectives and the Ecological Reserve for Water Resources
R29/2
Appendix R30:
Breakdown and Scheduling of Tasks for Intermediate RDM Determination
R30/2
Appendix 31:
Design of Post – RDM Monitoring Programmes
R31/2
Appendix R17:
Appendix R20:
Appendix R21:
Appendix R22:
Appendix R29:
Figures
Figure A1:
Generic procedure for determination of Resource Directed Measures
for aquatic ecosystems
A4
Figure C1:
Procedure followed in the determination of the AEMC
C4
Figure C2:
Flow diagram indicating the sequence of steps proposed for the determination
of the attainable ecological management class in the determination of the WBDE.
C7
Figure D1:
Procedure followed in the determination of the AEMC
D4
Figure E1:
Task flow for intermediate RDM determination
E3
Figure E2:
Output of the IFR model as a time series
E22
Figure E3:
Output of an IFR workshop illustrated as a FDC
(Note all numbers on axis are hypothetical and differ from river to river)
E23
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
vii
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Tables
Table A1:
Levels of RDM procedures for various levels of RDM determinations
Table A2:
Master table of differences/similarities between RDM levels, broken down by steps
Table C1:
Ecological importance and sensitivity categories.
C9
Table C2:
Biotic determinants (instream and riparian) for assessment of ecological importance
and sensitivity.
C9
Table C3:
A2
A22
Habitat (instream and riparian) determinants for assessment of ecological importance
and sensitivity.
C11
Table C4:
Confidence ratings for biotic and habitat determinants.
C13
Table C5:
Ecological importance and sensitivity categories. Interpretation of median scores
for biotic and habitat determinants.
C14
Default ecological management classes for rivers (adapted from Kleynhans 1996
and Kleynhans et al. 1998).
C15
The relationship between ecological importance and sensitivity categories and default
ecological management classes.
C15
Table C8:
Default ecological status classes (adapted from Kleynhans 1996).
C16
Table C9:
The relationship between default ecological management classes
and default ecological status classes.
C16
Table C6:
Table C7:
Table C10: Attributes to be assessed for determination of present ecological status.
C17
Table C11: Scoring and rating guidelines for present ecological status estimation
(adapted from Kleynhans 1996).
C18
Table C12: The assessment of the restoration potential of different aspects of the present ecological
status class of rivers, as a basis for deriviation of the AEMC.
C20
Table D1:
Rapid present status assessment for total dissolved salts (TDS)
D7
Table D2:
Rapid present status assessment for pH in rivers.
D8
Table D3:
Rapid present status assessment for dissolved oxygen.
D8
Table D4:
Rapid present status assessment using the un-ionised ammonia concentration to assign
assessment categories for rivers
D9
Rapid present status assessment based on orthophosphate as a percentage of the total
phosphorus content
D10
Rapid present status assessment of nutrient content based on the N-P ratio
(using TIN and TP)
D10
Rapid present status assessment of nutrient status based on N-P ratio
(using only orthophosphate data)
D10
Documentation of present ecological status assessment – example
D11
Table D5:
Table D6:
Table D7:
Table D8:
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
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Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: River Ecosystems
Table D9:
Guide for rapid determination of the ecological Management Classes
(water quality component) based on the ecological management class for the biota.
D12
Table D10: Matrix for determination of the ecological Reserve (water quality)for system variables.
D13
Table D11: Allowable deviation from the baseline water quality for selected ecological
management classes (water quality)
D13
Table D12: Nutrient water quality ranges for selected ecological management classes
(water quality).
D14
Table E1:
Generally applicable reference conditions for nutrients
E12
Table E2:
Present status assessment categories for total dissolved salts (TDS)
E13
Table E3:
Present status assessment for pH in rivers.
E14
Table E4:
Present status assessment for dissolved oxygen.
E14
TableE 5:
Present status assessment for nutrients using the un-ionised ammonia concentration
E15
Table E6:
Present status assessment of nutrients based on orthophosphate as a percentage
of the total phosphorus content
E15
Table E7:
Present status assessment of nutrients based on the N-P ratio (using TIN and TP)
E16
Table E8:
Present status assessment of nutrients based on N-P ratio
(using only orthophosphate data)
E16
Documentation of present ecological status - example
E17
Table E9:
Table E10: General assessment categories for ecological integrity.
E18
Table E11: Tabulated output of the specialist workshop, providing the design IFRs.
E21
Table E12: Guide for intermediate determination of ecological management classes
(water quality) based on the ecological management class assigned for the biota..
E24
Table E13: System variable matrix for the assignment of the Reserve.
E24
Table E14: Matrix for determination of the ecological Reserve (water quality) for pH
and dissolved oxygen.
E25
Table E15: Allowable deviation from of water temperature and TSS from reference conditions
for selected ecological management classes (water quality).
E25
Table E16: Nutrients water quality ranges for selected ecological management classes
(water quality).
E26
References
Glossary
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0: 24 September 1999
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