RESERVE DETERMINATION STUDIES FOR SELECTED SURFACE WATER, GROUNDWATER, ESTUARIES AND WETLANDS IN THE GOURITZ WMA PSC MEETING NO 1 OVERVIEW OF THE RESERVE PROCESS AND THE NEED FOR PROTECTION 24 JULY OUTLINE Why do we need to protect? Strategy for Protection What is the Reserve and where does it fit in? 8-Steps Process of the Reserve Need for water resource protection NWA mandate ( NWRS, chapter 3, and other environmental legislation) Water resource are (Rivers, Estuaries, Wetland and groundwater) Water resource protection is not about conserving the fish and birds only but the: Objectives for water resource protection are to : ensure long-term sustainable use of water resources balance the need for long-term protection against the need for economic growth and social development OVER UTILISATION OF A WATER RESOURCE OVERABSTRACTION POLLUTION GEOMORPHOLOGY MODIFIED EWR Resource Directed Measures A strategy to ensure sustainability and protection RESOURCE PROTECTION Pollution sources Discharges Run-off (Agricultural, settlements, urban areas) Illegal water use Water abstraction Licenses Best Practices for water use Setting the rules for managing and controlling activities impacting on water resources through: Management Objectives (Class & Resource Quality Objectives) Human Needs & Aquatic Health (Reserve) Managing and controlling activities impacting on water resources (abstraction of water & the disposal of effluents ) Setting management requirements in water resources (rivers, wetlands, estuaries & groundwater) Strategy for protection Classification system Management Class (minimally heavily used) = desired characteristics of the resource Sets boundaries for volume, distribution and quality of Reserve and RQOs Classification Numeric / descriptive goals for resource quality within which the resource must be managed Resource Quality Objectives Water quantity and quality required to : Set ecospecs Reserve RDM Strategy for protection 2 Habitat Biota Quantity Quality Supply BHN Protect aquatic ecosystems 8-step process 1. INITIATE STUDY Define study area Select level and eco- system components Select study team 4. QUANTIFICATION Quantify the EWRs and scenarios, including quality 2. DEFINE RESOURCE UNITS & SELECT EWR SITES 3. FIELD SURVEYS & ASSESSMENTS Undertake specialist field surveys Assess the present state and recommend future state 5. Operational Scenarios & Consequences Impacts of development scenarios Ecological and socio-economic consequences 7. SELECT BEST DEVELOPMENT OPTION & DEVELOP A MONITORING PROGRAMME 8. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 6. DWA MANAGEMENT CLASS Decision-making process