WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
RESOURCE DIRECTED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION OF
WATER RESOURCES
ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
South Africa
REPORT NUMBER: N\31\99
STATUS:
VERSION 1.0
DATE:
24 SEPTEMBER 1999
SENIOR AUTHORS:
Ms Susan Taljaard, Environmentek, CSIR, Stellenbosch
Dr Janine Adams, Institute for Coastal Resource Management, University of Port Elizabeth
Dr Jane Turpie, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, University of Cape Town
Dr Alan Whitfield, JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown
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 5: Estuarine 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: Estuarine Ecosystems
WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION AND ASSESSMENT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
RESOURCE DIRECTED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES: ESTUARINE
ECOSYSTEMS COMPONENT
Report Number:
N/31/99
Team Leader:
Dr Janine Adams
Institute for Coastal Resource Management
P O Box 1600
University of Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth, 6000
btajba@upe.ac.za
Senior Authors:
Ms Susan Taljaard, Environmentek, CSIR
Dr Janine Adams, Institute for Coastal Resource Management, UPE
Dr Jane Turpie, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, UCT
Dr Alan Whitfield, JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology
Contributing authors:
Prof Guy Bate, Coastal Resources Management, University of Port Elizabeth
Prof Digby Cyrus, CRUZ Environmental, University of Zululand
Mr Piet Huizinga,Environmentek, CSIR
Ms Lara van Niekerk, Environmentek, CSIR
Ms Barbara Weston, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Editors:
Dr Heather MacKay, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Ms Barbara Weston, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Version 1.0:
Date:
24 September 1999
\\DEH\RDM_OCTOBER\f_rdm_october\estuaries\version 1.0\est_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: Estuarine 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 (Estuarine Ecosystems):
Dr Janine Adams, Institute for Coastal Resource Management, UPE
Prof Guy Bate, Institute for Coastal Resource Management, UPE
Prof Digby Cyrus, CRUZ Environmental, University of Zululand
Mr Piet Huizinga, Environmentek, CSIR
Ms Susan Taljaard, Environmentek, CSIR
Dr Jane Turpie, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, UCT
Ms Lara van Niekerk, Environmentek, CSIR
Dr Alan Whitfield, JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology
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
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: Estuarine Ecosystems
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
ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS – WORKSHOP PARTICPANTS:
Dr Janine Adams, Prof Guy Bate, Prof Digby Cyrus, Mr Piet Huizinga, Ms Susan Taljaard, Dr JSV Reddering,
Prof Tris Wooldridge, Mr Pat Morant, Mr Steve Lamberth, , Dr Vladimir Smakhtin, Dr Jane Turpie, Prof
Anthony Forbes, Ms Nicolette Demetriades, Dr Anton Bok, Mr Ricky Taylor, Mr Laurie Barwell, Ms Lara van
Niekerk, Prof Arthur Dye, Dr Andrew Bath, Mr Geoff Cowan, Dr Steve Mitchell, Dr Dirk van Driel, Mr Niel
Van Wyk, Mr Charel Bruwer, Dr H MacKay, Ms Barbara Weston, Dr Allison Joubert, Mr Ralton Maree,
Dr Alan Boyd, Tommy Borman, David Walker, Brian Colloty
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0 24 September 1999
iii
Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: Estuarine 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
Development of the Procedure for Determination of RDM for
Estuarine Ecosystems
Previous Estuarine Freshwater Requirement (EFR) studies by estuarine scientists and managers, conducted for
the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, provided background information for the development of
estuarine Reserve methodology. The EFR method was formalized and documented (Appendix E1).
A workshop was held in February 1999 to brief estuarine specialists on the generic reserve methodology and to
gain consensus on a common approach. A discussion document was prepared for this workshop.
Procedures for the rapid determination of the reserve for estuaries were formulated while applying this method to
16 Pondoland (Northern Transkei) estuaries. The methodology for rapid determination has been formalised but
awaits review by the wider estuarine community (Section D).
A workshop was held to prioritize South African estuaries in terms of their ecological importance. Methods for
assessing estuarine health and importance were identified (Appendix E3). These methods have been
incorporated into the procedures for the intermediate determination of RDM. Documentation is available for the
intermediate determination of resource directed measures for estuaries (Section E). The methodology for
intermediate determination will be pilot tested and refined during the next 12 months.
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: Estuarine Ecosystems
Abbreviations
DWAF -
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
EFR
-
Estuarine Flow Requirements
EHC
-
Ecological Health Class
EMC
-
Ecological Management Class
FMC
-
Future Management Class
IRF
-
Instream Flow Requirements
RD
-
Reserve Determination
RDM
-
Resource Directed Measures
BAS
-
Best Attainable Status
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa
Version 1.0 24 September 1999
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