Water resource development has played a significant role in the expansion of agriculture and industry in the Olifants River Catchment. However, currently water deficit is one of the major constraints hampering development in the catchment; both the mining and agricultural sectors are producing below optimal levels because of their reliance on insufficient supplies. In this study, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model was used to evaluate scenarios of historic, current and future water demand in the catchment. For each scenario, the WEAP model was used to simulate demand in five different sectors (rural, urban, mining, commercial forestry and irrigation) over a 70-year period of varying rainfall and hydrology. Levels of assured supply were estimated for each sector and the economic cost of failing to provide water was predicted. For the future scenarios, the impact of infrastructure development and water conservation measures were assessed. The study illustrates how a relatively simple model can provide useful insight for resource planning and management.
The Olifants catchment is one of 19 Catchment Management Areas in South Africa. Different water users (i.e., rural, urban, mining, subsistence and commercial irrigated agriculture, commercial forestry, industry and power generation) are present in the catchment. Rising population andincreasing water provision in rural areas, in conjunction with the development of the mining industry, the construction of new power generation plants, the implementation of environmental flows andthe need to meet international flow requirements are going to greatly exacerbate the complexity of future water resources management in what is already a water-stressed catchment. Being able to assess the ability of the catchment to satisfy potential water demands is crucial in order to plan for the future and make wise decisions. In this study, a scenario analysis approach was used in conjunction with the Water Evaluation And Planning model, in order to assess the impacts of possible water demands on the water resources of the Olifants catchment in 2025. Foreach scenario, the water resource implications were compared to a 1995 “baseline.” The model enabled analyses of unmet water demands, streamflows and water storage for each scenario. The model results show that for the different scenarios considered in this study the implementation of the Environmental Reserve (an instream requirement to guarantee the health of the riverine ecosystems) will increase the shortages for other sectors. The construction of the main water storage infrastructure proposed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in conjunction with the application of Water Conservation and Demand Management practices, can reduce the unmet demands and shortfalls to levels lower than, or similar to, those experienced in the 1995 baseline. However, in all cases these interventions will be insufficient to completely meet the demands of all the sectors. A tight control of the growth in future demands is essential, although this may be difficult in a rapidly developing country like South Africa.
A notable contribution to North American archaeological literature, The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast is the first book to integrate and interpret archaeological data from the entire Atlantic Northeast, making unprecedented cultural connections across a broad region that encompasses the Canadian Atlantic provinces, the Quebec Lower North Shore, and Maine. Beginning with the earliest Indigenous occupation of the area, this book presents a cultural overview of the Atlantic Northeast, and weaves together the histories of the Indigenous peoples whose traditional lands make up this territory, including the Innu, Beothuk, Inuit, and numerous Wabanaki bands and tribes. Emphasizing historical connection and cultural continuity, The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast tracks the development of the earliest peoples in this area as they responded to climate and ecosystem change by transforming their glacier-edge way of life to one on the water’s edge, becoming one of the most successful and longstanding marine-oriented cultures in North America. Supported by more than a hundred illustrations and maps documenting the archaeological legacy, as well as discussions of unanswered questions intended to spur debate, this comprehensive text is ideal for students, researchers, professional archaeologists, and anyone interested in the history of this region.
This report presents the findings of a study to assess changes to flows into, and downstream of, the Usangu Wetlands, located in the headwaters of the Great Ruaha River, Tanzania. Hydrological data, in conjunction with remote sensing techniques, were used to provide insights into changes that have occurred to the Eastern Wetland. Results indicate that, between 1958 and 2004, inflows to the wetland declined by about 70 percent in the dry season months (July to November) as a consequence of increased human withdrawals, primarily for irrigation.
In the face of growing water stress and increasing concerns over the sustainability of water use, Tanzania has, in common with many other countries in Africa, focused largely on the development of more integrated catchment-wide approaches to water management. In the Great Ruaha River Basin, considerable effort has gone into increasing water productivity and the promotion of mechanisms for more efficient allocation of water resources. Over a period of five years, the RIPARWIN project investigated water management in the basin and evaluated the effectiveness of some of the mechanisms that have been introduced. The study findings are relevant to basins in developing countries where there is competition for water and irrigation is one of the main uses.
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