Aquatic Assessment December 2013

Transcription

1 year unless drained. According to the Soil Survey Staff (1975) definition, in order for a soil to be classed as organic it must have >12% organic carbon by weight if it is sandy and >18% if it is clay-rich. Permanently wet soil: soil which is flooded or waterlogged to the soil surface throughout the year, in most years. Riparian: the area of land adjacent to a stream or river that is influenced by stream-induced or related processes. Riparian areas which are saturated or flooded for prolonged periods would be considered wetlands and could be described as riparian wetlands. However, some riparian areas are not wetlands (e.g. an area where alluvium is periodically deposited by a stream during floods but which is well drained). Runoff: total water yield from a catchment including surface and subsurface flow. Seasonally wet soil: soil which is flooded or waterlogged to the soil surface for extended periods (>1 month) during the wet season, but is predominantly dry during the dry season. Sedges: Grass-like plants belonging to the family Cyperaceae, sometimes referred to as nutgrasses. Papyrus is a member of this family. Soil drainage classes: describe the soil moisture conditions as determined by the capacity of the soil and the site for removing excess water. The classes range from very well drained, where excess water is removed very quickly, to very poorly drained, where excess water is removed very slowly. Wetlands include all soils in the very poorly drained and poorly drained classes, and some soils in the somewhat poorly drained class. These three classes are roughly equivalent to the permanent, seasonal and temporary classes Soil horizons: layers of soil that have fairly uniform characteristics and have developed through pedogenic processes; they are bound by air, hard rock or other horizons (i.e. soil material that has different characteristics). Soil profile: the vertically sectioned sample through the soil mantle, usually consisting of two or three horizons (Soil Classification Working Group, 1991). Soil saturation: the soil is considered saturated if the water table or capillary fringe reaches the soil surface (Soil Survey Staff, 1992). Temporarily wet soil: The soil close to the soil surface (i.e. within 50 cm) is wet for periods > 2 weeks during the wet season in most years. However, it is seldom flooded or saturated at the surface for longer than a month. Terrain unit classes: areas of the land surface with homogenous form and slope. Terrain may be seen as being made up of all or some of the following units: crest (1), scarp (2), midslope (3), footslope (4) and valley bottom (5). Transpiration: the transfer of water from plants into the atmosphere as water vapour Value (soil colour): the relative lightness or intensity of colour. Vlei: a colloquial South African term for wetland. Water regime: When and for how long the soil is flooded or saturated. Water quality: the purity of the water. Waterlogged: soil or land saturated with water long enough for anaerobic conditions to develop. Wetland: land which is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is periodically covered with shallow water, and which under normal circumstances supports or would support vegetation typically adapted to life in saturated soil (Water Act 36 of 1998); land where an excess of water is the dominant factor determining the nature of the soil development and the types of plants and animals living at the soil surface (Cowardin et al., 1979). Wetland catchment: the area up-slope of the wetland from which water flows into the wetland and including the wetland itself. Wetland delineation: the determination and marking of the boundary of a wetland on a map Scherman Colloty & Associates 7 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

2 1 INTRODUCTION Scherman Colloty & Associates (SC&A) was appointed to conduct an assessment of the potential impacts on wetlands and waterbodies, posed by the construction of a various bulkwater supply pipelines within the OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM). The regional bulk water supply scheme is based on water treated in Mthatha and then delivered to the surrounding areas using five development alignments or corridors each approximately 40km long. Each of these 5 routes is being treated separately with regard obtaining Environmental Authorisation which is required by the National Environmental Management Act (107 of 1998). GIBB is managing the required Basic Assessments, for which several specialist studies have been conducted. Amatola Water is the Implementing Agent for the projects associated with the scheme. This is an urgent Presidential Intervention Project and construction is to commence as soon as the necessary authorisations are obtained. Upgrading of the existing Thornhill Water Treatment Works is already under construction and an Environmental Basic Assessment for a separate (new) water treatment works nearby (also drawing from the Mthatha Dam) is currently underway The Environmental Basic Assessments (BA) are being be conducted in parallel to obtain separate Environmental Authorisations for each of the following five corridors: Priority 1: Mthatha Town & Airport Corridor (to the West) Mqanduli Corridor (to the South) Libode Corridor (to the East) Priority 2: Ngqeleni Corridor (to the SE) construction to start Aug 2014 Nqadu Corridor (to the North) construction to start May 2015 Associated infrastructure includes water storage reservoirs, pump stations and culvert bridge crossings (where the pipelines cross watercourses). SC&A thus conducted a Present Ecological State (PES) assessment of the aquatic systems within the alignment footprint as well as within a 500m radius of the site. This report will thus form part of the Water Use License Application (WULA) required by the National Department of Water Affairs, as required. 1.1 Objectives This report will thus deal with the following: Wetland classification according to the National Wetland Classification System and Present Ecological State as a baseline assessment. Derivation of wetland and river importance and function Relevant river and wetland legislation and policy Identify and assess any potential impacts posed by the construction, operation phases of the projects. Potential mitigation and recommendations on suitable buffers and no-go areas. Scherman Colloty & Associates 8 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

3 1.2 Terms of Reference The following scope of work was thus used as the basis of this study in order to fulfil the above requirements: A desktop aquatic biodiversity assessment of the study area. This will cover the alignment footprint in relation to the wetland and river ecosystems functioning within the region. A map demarcating the relevant local drainage area of the respective waterbodies/s, i.e. the waterbody, its respective catchment and other aquatic ecosystems within a 500m radius of the study area. This will demonstrate, from a holistic point of view the connectivity between the site and the surrounding regions, i.e. the zone of influence. Maps depicting demarcated waterbodies delineated to a scale of 1:10 000, following the methodology described by the DWAF (2005), together with a classification of delineated wetland areas, according to the methods contained in the Level 1 WET-Health methodology and the latest National Wetland Classification System (2010). The determination of the ecological state of any waterbodies, estimating their biodiversity, conservation and ecosystem function importance with regard ecosystem services and linkages to other systems. SC&A is presently assessing the Present Ecological State (PES) as part of a 2 year Water Research Commission funded study and is thus developing the latest PES methods in collaboration with the Department of Water. Note that this determination will not include avifaunal, herpetological or invertebrate studies; however possible habitat for species of special concern would be commented on. 1.3 Declaration of Independence This report has been prepared as per the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), any subsequent amendments and any relevant National and / or Provincial Policies related to biodiversity assessments. I, Dr. Brian Michael Colloty declare that this report has been prepared independently of any influence or prejudice as may be specified by the National Department of Environmental Affairs Brian Colloty Date: December STUDY APPROACH This study will follow the approaches of several national guidelines with regards to wetland assessment. These have been modified by the author, to provide a relevant mechanism of assessing the present state of the study systems, applicable to the specific environment and in a clear and objective means assess the potential impacts after a site visit was conducted during the November 2013 Current water resource classification systems make use of the Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach, and for this reason, the National Wetland Classification System approach will be used in this study. It is also important to understand wetland definition, means of assessing wetland conservation and importance as well as understanding the pertinent legislation with regards to protecting wetlands. Scherman Colloty & Associates 9 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

4 These aspects will be discussed in greater depth in this section of report, as they form the basis of the study approach to assessing wetland impacts. 2.1 Wetland classification systems Since the late 1960 s, wetland classification systems have undergone a series of international and national revisions. These revisions allowed for the inclusion of additional wetland types, ecological and conservation rating metrics, together with a need for a system that would allude to the functional requirements of any given wetland (Ewart-Smith et al., 2006). Wetland function is a consequence of biotic and abiotic factors, and wetland classification should strive to capture these aspects. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in collaboration with a number of specialists and stakeholders developed the newly revised and now accepted National Wetland Classification Systems (NWCS 2010). This system comprises a hierarchical classification process of defining a wetland based on the principles of the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach at higher levels, with including structural features at the finer or lower levels of classification (SANBI 2009). Wetlands develop in a response to elevated water tables, linked either to rivers, groundwater flows or age from aquifers (Parsons, 2004). These water levels or flows then interact with localised geology and soil forms, which then determines the form and function of the respective wetlands. Water is thus the common driving force, in the formation of wetlands (DWAF, 2005). It is significant that the HGM approach has now been included in wetland classification as the HGM approach has been adopted throughout the water resources management realm with regards to the determination of the Present Ecological State (PES) and Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS) and WET-Health assessments for aquatic environments. All of these systems are then easily integrated using the HGM approach in line with the Eco-classification process of river and wetland reserve determinations used by the Department of Water Affairs. The Ecological Reserve of a wetland or river is used by DWA to assess the water resource allocations when assessing water use license applications (WULA). The NWCS process is provided in more detail in the methods section of the report, but some of the terms and definitions used in this document are present below: Definition Box Present Ecological State is a term for the current ecological condition of the resource. This is assessed relative to the deviation from the Reference State. Reference State/Condition is the natural or pre-impacted condition of the system. The reference state is not a static condition, but refers to the natural dynamics (range and rates of change or flux) prior to development. The PES is determined per component - for rivers and wetlands this would be for the drivers: flow, water quality and geomorphology; and the biotic response indicators: fish, macroinvertebrates, riparian vegetation and diatoms. PES categories for every component would be integrated into an overall PES for the river reach or wetland being investigated. This integrated PES is called the EcoStatus of the reach or wetland. EcoStatus is the overall PES or current state of the resource. It represents the totality of the features and characteristics of a river and its riparian areas or wetland that bear upon its ability to support an appropriate natural flora and fauna and its capacity to provide a variety of goods and services. The EcoStatus value is an integrated ecological state made up of a combination of various PES findings from component EcoStatus assessments (such as for invertebrates, fish, riparian vegetation, geomorphology, hydrology and water quality). Reserve: The quantity and quality of water needed to sustain basic human needs and ecosystems (e.g. estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater and wetlands) to ensure ecologically sustainable development and utilisation of a water resource. The Ecological Reserve pertains specifically to aquatic ecosystems. Reserve requirements: The quality, quantity and reliability of water needed to satisfy the requirements of basic human needs and the Ecological Reserve (inclusive of instream requirements). Ecological Reserve determination study: The study undertaken to determine Ecological Reserve requirements. Licensing applications: Water users are required (by legislation) to apply for licenses prior to extracting water resources from a Scherman Colloty & Associates 10 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

5 water catchment. Ecological Water Requirements: This is the quality and quantity of water flowing through a natural stream course that is needed to sustain instream functions and ecosystem integrity at an acceptable level as determined during an EWR study. These then form part of the conditions for managing achievable water quantity and quality conditions as stipulated in the Reserve Template Water allocation process (compulsory licensing): This is a process where all existing and new water users are requested to reapply for their licenses, particularly in stressed catchments where there is an over-allocation of water or an inequitable distribution of entitlements. Ecoregions are geographic regions that have been delineated in a top-down manner on the basis of physical/abiotic factors. NOTE: For purposes of the classification system, the Level I Ecoregions for South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Kleynhans et al. 2005), which have been specifically developed by the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry (DWAF) for rivers but are used for the management of inland aquatic ecosystems more generally, are applied at Level 2A of the classification system. These Ecoregions are based on physiography, climate, geology, soils and potential natural vegetation. 2.2 Wetland definition Although the National Wetland Classification System (SANBI, 2009) is used to classify wetland types it is still necessary to understand the definition of a wetland. Terminology currently strives to characterise a wetland not only on its structure (visible form), but also to relate this to the function and value of any given wetland. The Ramsar Convention definition of a wetland is widely accepted as areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres (Davis 1994). South Africa is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention and therefore its extremely broad definition of wetlands has been adopted for the proposed NWCS, with a few modifications. Whereas the Ramsar Convention included marine water to a depth of six metres, the definition used for the NWCS extends to a depth of ten metres at low tide, as this is recognised as the seaward boundary of the shallow photic zone (Lombard et al., 2005). An additional minor adaptation of the definition is the removal of the term fen as fens are considered a type of peatland. The adapted definition for the NWCS is, therefore, as follows (SANBI, 2009): WETLAND: an area of marsh, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed ten metres. This definition encompasses all ecosystems characterised by the permanent or periodic presence of water other than marine waters deeper than ten metres. The only legislated definition of wetlands in South Africa, however, is contained within the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) (NWA), where wetlands are defined as land which is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems, where the water table is usually at, or near the surface, or the land is periodically covered with shallow water and which land in normal circumstances supports, or would support, vegetation adapted to life in saturated soil. This definition is consistent with more precise working definitions of wetlands and therefore includes only a subset of ecosystems encapsulated in the Ramsar definition. It should be noted that the NWA definition is not concerned with marine systems and clearly distinguishes wetlands from estuaries, classifying the later as a water course (SANBI, 2009). Table 1 provides a comparison of the various wetlands included within the main sources of wetland definitions used in South Africa. Scherman Colloty & Associates 11 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

6 Although a subset of Ramsar-defined wetlands was used as a starting point for the compilation of the first version of the National Wetland Inventory (i.e. wetlands, as defined by the National Water Act, together with open waterbodies), it is understood that subsequent versions of the Inventory include the full suite of Ramsar-defined wetlands in order to ensure that South Africa meets its wetland inventory obligations as a signatory to the Convention (SANBI, 2009). Wetlands must therefore have one or more of the following attributes to meet the above definition (DWAF, 2005): A high water table that results in the saturation at or near the surface, leading to anaerobic conditions developing in the top 50 cm of the soil. Wetland or hydromorphic soils that display characteristics resulting from prolonged saturation, i.e. mottling or grey soils The presence of, at least occasionally, hydrophilic plants, i.e. hydrophytes (water loving plants). It should be noted that riparian systems that are not permanently or periodically inundated are not considered true wetlands, i.e. those associated with the drainage lines. Table 1: Comparison of ecosystems considered to be wetlands as defined by the proposed NWCS, the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998), and ecosystems included in DWAF s (2005) delineation manual. Ecosystem NWCS wetland National Water Act wetland DWAF (2005) delineation manual Marine YES NO NO Estuarine YES NO NO Waterbodies deeper than 2 m (i.e. YES NO NO limnetic habitats often describes as lakes or dams) Rivers, channels and canals YES NO 1 NO Inland aquatic ecosystems that are not YES YES YES river channels and are less than 2 m deep Riparian 2 areas that are permanently / YES YES YES 3 periodically inundated or saturated with water within 50 cm of the surface Riparian 2 areas that are not permanently / periodically inundated or saturated with water within 50 cm of the surface NO NO YES 3 1 Although river channels and canals would generally not be regarded as wetlands in terms of the National Water Act, they are included as a watercourse in terms of the Act 2 According to the National Water Act and Ramsar, riparian areas are those areas that are saturated or flooded for prolonged periods would be considered riparian wetlands, opposed to non wetland riparian areas that are only periodically inundated and the riparian vegetation persists due to having deep root systems drawing on water many meters below the surface. 3 The delineation of riparian areas (including both wetland and non-wetland components) is treated separately to the delineation of wetlands in DWAF s (2005) delineation manual. Scherman Colloty & Associates 12 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

7 2.3 National Wetland Classification System method During this study due to the nature of the wetlands and watercourses observed, it was decided that the newly accepted National Wetlands Classification System (NWCS) be adopted. This classification approach has integrated aspects of the HGM approach used in the WET-Health system as well as the widely accepted eco-classification approach used for rivers. The NWCS (SANBI, 2009) as stated previously, uses hydrological and geomorphological traits to distinguish the primary wetland units, i.e. direct factors that influence wetland function. Other wetland assessment techniques, such as the DWAF (2005) delineation method, only infer wetland function based on abiotic and biotic descriptors (size, soils & vegetation) stemming from the Cowardin approach (SANBI, 2009). The classification system used in this study is thus based on SANBI (2009) and is summarised below: The NWCS has a six tiered hierarchical structure, with four spatially nested primary levels of classification (Figure1). The hierarchical system firstly distinguishes between Marine, Estuarine and Inland ecosystems (Level 1), based on the degree of connectivity the particular system has with the open ocean (greater than 10 m in depth). Level 2 then categorises the regional wetland setting using a combination of biophysical attributes at the landscape level, which operate at a broad bioregional scale. This is opposed to specific attributes such as soils and vegetation. Level 2 has adopted the following systems: Inshore bioregions (marine) Biogeographic zones (estuaries) Ecoregions (Inland) Level 3 of the NWCS assess the topographical position of inland wetlands as this factor broadly defines certain hydrological characteristics of the inland systems. Four landscape units based on topographical position are used in distinguishing between Inland systems at this level. No subsystems are recognised for Marine systems, but estuaries are grouped according to their periodicity of connection with the marine environment, as this would affect the biotic characteristics of the estuary. Level 4 classifies the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) units discussed earlier. The HGM units are defined as follows: (i) Landform shape and localised setting of wetland (ii) Hydrological characteristics nature of water movement into, through and out of the wetland (iii) Hydrodynamics the direction and strength of flow through the wetland These factors characterise the geomorphological processes within the wetland, such as erosion and deposition, as well as the biogeochemical processes. Level 5 of the assessment pertains to the classification of the tidal regime within the marine and estuarine environments, while the hydrological and inundation depth classes are determined for the inland wetlands. Classes are based on frequency and depth of inundation, which are used to determine the functional unit of the wetlands and are considered secondary discriminators within the NWCS. Scherman Colloty & Associates 13 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

8 Level 6 uses six descriptors to characterise the wetland types on the basis of biophysical features. As with Level 5, these are non-hierarchal in relation to each other and are applied in any order, dependent on the availability of information. The descriptors include: (i) Geology; (ii) Natural vs. Artificial; (iii) Vegetation cover type; (iv) Substratum; (v) Salinity; and (vi) Acidity or Alkalinity. It should be noted that where sub-categories exist within the above descriptors, hierarchical systems are employed, and these are thus nested in relation to each other. The HGM unit (Level 4) is the focal point of the NWCS, with the upper levels (Figure 2 Inland systems only) providing means to classify the broad bio-geographical context for grouping functional wetland units at the HGM level, while the lower levels provide more descriptive detail on the particular wetland type characteristics of a particular HGM unit. Therefore Level 1 5 deals with functional aspects, while Level 6 classifies wetlands on structural aspects. Scherman Colloty & Associates 14 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

9 Figure 1: Basic structure of the National Wetland Classification System, showing how primary discriminators are applied up to Level 4 to classify Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Units, with secondary discriminators applied at Level 5 to classify the tidal/hydrological regime, and descriptors applied at Level 6 to categorise the characteristics of wetlands classified up to Level 5 (From SANBI, 2009). Scherman Colloty & Associates 15 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

10 Figure 2: Illustration of the conceptual relationship of HGM Units (at Level 4) with higher and lower levels (relative sizes of the boxes show the increasing spatial resolution and level of detail from the higher to the lower levels) for Inland Systems (from SANBI, 2009). Scherman Colloty & Associates 16 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

11 2.4 Wetland condition To assess the Present Ecological State (PES) or condition of the observed wetlands, a modified Wetland Index of Habitat Integrity (DWAF, 2007) was used. The Wetland Index of Habitat Integrity (WETLAND-IHI) is a tool developed for use in the National Aquatic Ecosystem Health Monitoring Programme (NAEHMP), formerly known as the River Health Programme (RHP). The output scores from the WETLAND-IHI model are presented in the standard DWAF A-F ecological categories (Table 2), and provide a score of the Present Ecological State of the habitat integrity of the wetland system being examined. The author has included additional criteria into the model based system to include additional wetland types. This system is preferred when compared to systems such as WET-Health wetland management series (WRC 2009), as WET-Health (Level 1) was developed with wetland rehabilitation in mind, and is not always suitable for impact assessments. This coupled with the degraded state of the wetlands in the study area, indicated that a complex study approach was not warranted, i.e. conduct a Wet-Health Level 2 and WET-Ecosystems Services study required for an impact assessment. Table 2: Description of A F ecological categories based on Kleynhans et al., (2005) ECOLOGICAL CATEGORY A B C D E F ECOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION Unmodified, natural. Largely natural with few modifications. A small change in natural habitats and biota may have taken place but the ecosystem functions are essentially unchanged. Moderately modified. Loss and change of natural habitat and biota have occurred, but the basic ecosystem functions are still predominantly unchanged. Largely modified. A large loss of natural habitat, biota and basic ecosystem functions has occurred. Seriously modified. The loss of natural habitat, biota and basic ecosystem functions is extensive. Critically / Extremely modified. Modifications have reached a critical level and the system has been modified completely with an almost complete loss of natural habitat and biota. In the worst instances the basic ecosystem functions have been destroyed and the changes are irreversible. MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE Protected systems; relatively untouched by human hands; no discharges or impoundments allowed Some human-related disturbance, but mostly of low impact potential Multiple disturbances associated with need for socio-economic development, e.g. impoundment, habitat modification and water quality degradation Often characterized by high human densities or extensive resource exploitation. Management intervention is needed to improve health, e.g. to restore flow patterns, river habitats or water quality The WETLAND-IHI model is composed of four modules. The Hydrology, Geomorphology and Water Quality modules all assess the contemporary driving processes behind wetland formation and maintenance. The last module, Vegetation Alteration, provides an indication of the intensity of human landuse activities on the wetland surface itself and how these may have modified the condition of the wetland. The integration of the scores from these 4 modules provides an overall Present Ecological Scherman Colloty & Associates 17 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

12 State (PES) score for the wetland system being examined. The WETLAND-IHI model is an MS Excelbased model, and the data required for the assessment are generated during a rapid site visit. Additional data may be obtained from remotely sensed imagery (aerial photos; maps and/or satellite imagery) to assist with the assessment. The interface of the WETLAND-IHI has been developed in a format which is similar to DWA s River EcoStatus models which are currently used for the assessment of PES in riverine environments. 2.5 Wetland importance and function South Africa is a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, and has thus committed itself to this intergovernmental treaty, which provides the framework for the national protection of wetlands and the resources they could provide. Wetland conservation is now driven by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, a requirement under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (No 10 of 2004). Wetlands are among the most valuable and productive ecosystems on earth, providing important opportunities for sustainable development (Davies and Day, 1998). However wetlands in South Africa are still rapidly being lost or degraded through direct human induced pressures (Nel et al., 2004). The most common attributes or goods and services provided by wetlands include: Improve water quality; Impede flow and reduce the occurrence of floods; Reeds and sedges used in construction and traditional crafts; Bulbs and tubers, a source of food and natural medicine; Store water and maintain base flow of rivers; Trap sediments; and Reduce the number of water borne diseases. In terms of this study, the wetlands provide ecological (environmental) value to the area acting as refugia for various wetland associated plants, butterflies and birds. In the past wetland conservation has focused on biodiversity as a means of substantiating the protection of wetland habitat. However not all wetlands provide such motivation for their protection, thus wetland managers and conservationists began assessing the importance of wetland function within an ecosystem. Table 3 summarises the importance of wetland function when related to ecosystem services or ecoservices (Kotze et al., 2008). One such example is emergent reed bed wetlands that function as transformers converting inorganic nutrients into organic compounds (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2000). Scherman Colloty & Associates 18 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

13 Ecosystem services supplied by wetlands Direct benefits Indirect benefits Hydro-geochemical benefits Water quality enhancement benefits Aquatic Assessment December 2013 Table 3: Summary of direct and indirect ecoservices provided by wetlands from Kotze et al., 2008 Flood attenuation Stream flow regulation Sediment trapping Phosphate assimilation Nitrate assimilation Toxicant assimilation Erosion control Carbon storage Biodiversity maintenance Provision of water for human use Provision of harvestable resources 2 Provision of cultivated foods Cultural significance Tourism and recreation Education and research Conservation importance of the individual wetlands was based on the following criteria: Habitat uniqueness Species of conservation concern Habitat fragmentation with regard ecological corridors Ecosystem service (social and ecological) The presence of any or a combination of the above criteria would result in a HIGH conservation rating if the wetland was found in a near natural state (high PES). Should any of the habitats be found modified the conservation importance would rate as MEDIUM, unless a Species of conservation concern was observed (HIGH). Any system that was highly modified (low PES) or had none of the above criteria, received a LOW conservation importance rating. Wetlands with HIGH and MEDIUM ratings should thus be excluded from development with incorporation into a suitable open space system, with the maximum possible buffer being applied. Wetlands which receive a LOW conservation importance rating could be included into stormwater management features, but should not be developed so as to retain the function of any ecological corridors. 2.6 Relevant wetland legislation and policy Locally the South African Constitution, seven (7) Acts and two (2) international treaties allow for the protection of wetlands and rivers. These systems are protected from destruction or pollution by the following: Section 24 of The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa; Agenda 21 Action plan for sustainable development of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) 1998; The Ramsar Convention, 1971 including the Wetland Conservation Programme (DEAT) and the National Wetland Rehabilitation Initiative (DEAT, 2000); National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) inclusive of all amendments, as well as the NEM: Biodiversity Act; National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998); Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983); and Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002). Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance (No. 19 of 1974) National Forest Act (No. 84 of 1998) National Heritage Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999) Scherman Colloty & Associates 19 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

14 Apart from NEMA, the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA), 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983) will also apply to this project. The CARA has categorised a large number of invasive plants together with associated obligations of the land owner. A number of Category 1 & 2 plants were found at all of the sites investigated, thus the contractors must take extreme care to ensure the further spread of these plants doesn t occur. This should be done through proper stockpile management (topsoil) and suitable rehabilitation of disturbed areas after construction. For the relevant detail on alien species occurrence the reader is referred to the Specialist Vegetation report. 2.7 Provincial legislation and policy Currently there are no accepted wetland buffers distances provided by the provincial authorities. Until such a system is developed, it is recommended that a 20m buffer be set for all wetlands and 32m for rivers and water courses. Other policies that are relevant include: Provincial Nature Conservation Ordinance (PNCO) Protected Flora. National Freshwater Ecosystems Priority Areas (Nel et al., 2011). This mapping product highlights potential rivers and wetlands that should be earmarked for conservation on a national basis. Scherman Colloty & Associates 20 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

15 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & RESULTS The study area (Figure 3) is located within the 5 proposed corridors radiating from Mthatha. The proposed pipelines will span ten (10) Quaternary catchments, namely: 1. T20B Mthatha River 2. T20C Cicira River 3. T20D Corana / Mthatha / Zimbane Rivers 4. T20E Cumngce 5. T20F Nqgwara / Ngqungqu Rivers 6. T70B Mngazana River 7. T70C Mgwenyana River 8. T70E - Mtakatye River 9. T70G Mdumbi River 10. T80C Bulumbu / Ngonyama / Xorana rivers The Mthatha region (central plateaux) normally receives approximately 556mm of rain per year, with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer, i.e the lowest rainfall (6mm) in June and the highest (87mm) in March. This translates to Mean monthly run-off or flows between 0.5 m 3 /second for the small streams to 21m 3 /second for the larger systems such as the Mthatha River. The average midday temperatures for the study area range from 19.4 C in July to 25.8 C in February. The region is the coldest during July when temperatures can drop to 5.8 C on average during the night. Figure 4 indicates that the pipeline routes occur within two Ecoregions, namely the Eastern Coastal Belt (i.e. a region dominated by steep valleys below the coastal escarpment, with numerous coastal rivers, that eventuate into small estuaries) and the South Eastern Uplands (i.e. an Ecoregion that is dominated by undulating grasslands, within the upper catchment areas of several large river systems). The potential wetland and aquatic systems expected to occur within the region based on several databases such as the National Freshwater Ecosystems Priority Area (NFEPA) database and National Wetland Inventory (Nel et al. 2011) are shown in Figure 5. Although the majority of the wetland systems were indicated to be natural, most were confirmed to be either: Artificial (dams), Associated with age from dams or stormwater runoff from urban and periurban areas, Inundated quarries or sand winning areas, or Highly modified (converted into dams) Therefore based on site observations, the remaining natural systems were delineated and are shown in Figure 6 (a-e). Scherman Colloty & Associates 21 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

16 Figure 3: Project locality map indicating various quaternary catchments (Source DWA) Scherman Colloty & Associates 22 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

17 Figure 4: The study area various catchment Eco-regions (Source DWA) Scherman Colloty & Associates 23 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

18 Approximately 59 wetland elements or units were observed within the study area with the respective delineations shown in Figure 6a 6e. Some of these wetland elements do form part of a greater wetland system or cluster as shown in the Appendix B (i.e. 56 wetlands). Based on the 6 levels of the National Wetland Classification System, these systems are typical of Inland Systems (Level 1), within the Eastern Coastal Belt Ecoregion (Level 2), with the majority associated with channeled river valleys and more specifically age areas. Wetland landscape units (Level 3) were thus valley floors (riparian / palustrine), which contained unchannelled valley bottom hydrogeomorphic units (Level 4). The riparian wetland areas were mostly narrow bands of trees associated with temporal inundation zones, but in the majority this were limited due to the lack of floodplain areas, i.e. incised river valleys or were outcompeted by the high density of invasive alien tree species (Plate 1). Only two intact pans/depressions were observed within the study area, i.e. 500m from the proposed pipelines, with one within the Mthatha Airport grounds and one near the Sebeni Forest near the Ngqeleni corridor. However due to the small catchments and locality of these systems, they infrequently contain any surface runoff or open water (Level 5), but would remain important habitat or refugia within a landscape that has largely been altered through agricultural practices, but would be unaffected by this project. The dominant agricultural impacts included alteration of the hydrological regime through the creation of dam walls increase water storage volumes, landscape alteration for crop / fodder production or water quality impacts with regard high nutrient concentrations. The latter was related to agricultural areas in close proximity to urban or periurban areas. These have impacted on the majority of areas identified within the study, and only those that did not contain any major furrows, head-cuts, erosion dongas or cutoff drains were deemed natural and were mapped as wetland areas (Figure 6 a - e). Plate 1: An upper catchment area within the study area showing the typical alien vegetation (e.g. Acacia mearnsii) associated with the narrow riparian zones Scherman Colloty & Associates 24 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

19 Figure 5: The wetland and riverine systems as indicated in the National spatial databases (Nel et al. 2011) Scherman Colloty & Associates 25 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

20 Plant species associated with all wetland types found in the study area included the following facultative types, i.e. plants that occur in wetlands 60-99% of the time, some of these included the following: Ficinia lateralis Juncus kraussii Phragmites australis Cyperus obtusiflorus var. obtusiflorus Centella asiatica Typha capensis Kniphofia spp. Only the last mentioned species is protected under the PNCO and would require the relevant permits should they be removed or disturbed. These species were found mostly within the Libode corridor, associated with the intact or less disturbed grassland areas within this region. 3.1 Present Ecological State and conservation importance Many wetlands and riparian systems seemed almost mono-specific in appearance, dominated by one particular species of grass, reed or sedge. Wetland biodiversity is thus related to the associated species such as birds, amphibians and invertebrates, with most due to limited distributions or rapid loss of wetland habitat, now constituting conservation needy species (Kotze et al., 2008). The importance of rare or endangered species is usually used in the defence of a conservation needy environment. Where this is not possibly a surrogate species of special concern is then used to promote the need for conserving a wetland habitat (e.g. a rare or endemic bird, frog or plant). This is not always possible for the majority of wetlands, due to most wetland species being ubiquitous or widespread. Wetland importance is thus been related to functioning importance or ecosystem services (Kotze et al., 2008). This also inferred that the larger the wetland, the more important the system is due to the value it presents in terms of ecological and social services. In this study several other sources of information were also considered, which included the National Freshwater Ecosystems Priority Areas project completed by the CSIR (Nel et al., 2011), regional and national biodiversity assessments, and the latest being the National Biodiversity Assessment released by SANBI this year (Driver et al., 2012). More recently, the Department of Water Affairs, as part of a Water Research Commission project has initiated the revision of the 1999 Present Ecological State (PES) assessment of all rivers and riparian associated wetlands on a national basis. A team lead by the SC&A has recently completed the assessment of the sub-quaternary catchments (Figure 7) found in the study region (rivers and wetlands), using metrics such as changes to the hydrological regime, water quality, riparian vegetation, aquatic invertebrates and fish. Our assessment has indicated that the freshwater systems found in the study area PES scores that range from B to E, while most were rated C, (moderately modified) (Table 4 and Appendix A). The wetland PES scores ranged from B to E (Appendix B), with the majority being rated as D (Largely Modified, but functional) due to the conversion of the areas to dryland cultivation, grazing, regular fires and alien vegetation. Severe headcut erosion in the Nqadu area had reduced the PES scores for the wetlands to D/E (barely functional). Scherman Colloty & Associates 26 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

21 The same SC&A project will also rate the Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS), or the conservation importance of the river systems, has not yet been concluded. Based on evidence in this study and in discussions with, it was agreed that the EIS of the rivers would be Moderate for the rivers (C or D). The wetlands were rated independently for this project (Appendix B) and the EIS was rated as Low (D) for all systems. The only exception being the depression found within the Airport boundaries that is largely natural and was rated as High due to its unique and protected character. Similarly the conservation value of aquatic ecosystems has also been mapped with regard assessing the Critical Biodiversity Areas within the Eastern Cape Province. This has been discussed in detail in the terrestrial report, with regard the Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan (ECBCP). Table 4: Summary of the subquaternary catchments found within the study area, the percentage natural land cover remaining and the 2013 Present Ecological State scores Sub- Quaternary Catchment # River Percentage Natural Land Cover Remaining PES (2013) 6364 Ncambele 55 D 6388 Corana 57 D 6459 Mtakatye 58 D D 6497 Mgwenyana 53 B 6509 Cumnqe 73 C 6511 Cicira 59 D c 6527 Mthatha 35 E 6560 Mthatha 60 E 6605 Mtakatye 73 B 6606 Zimbane 63 C 6635 Centuli 65 D 6650 Mdumbi 55 C 6659 Mthatha 67 D 6706 Ngqwara 72 C 6796 Ngqungqu 65 C 6816 Ngqungqu 43 C 6885 Ngonyama 58 C 6890 Bulembu 53 D 6912 Xorana 82 C Scherman Colloty & Associates 27 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

22 Figure 6a: The delineated wetlands within the Mthatha town and Airport study area that still retained a degree of functionality Scherman Colloty & Associates 28 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

23 Figure 6b: The delineated wetlands within the Mqanduli study area that still retained a degree of functionality Scherman Colloty & Associates 29 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

24 Figure 6c: The delineated wetlands within the Libode study area that still retained a degree of functionality Scherman Colloty & Associates 30 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

25 Figure 6d: The delineated wetlands within the Ngqeleni study area that still retained a degree of functionality Scherman Colloty & Associates 31 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

26 Figure 6e: The delineated wetlands within the Nqadu study area that still retained a degree of functionality Scherman Colloty & Associates 32 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

27 Figure 7: A map of the 5 pipeline alignments in relation to the subquaternary catchments used in the Present Ecological State assessment Scherman Colloty & Associates 33 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

28 3.2 Identification of key issues The following key issues will be assessed in this report: The potential loss of wetland habitat (physical destruction) Habitat fragmentation (aquatic environment) Sedimentation and erosion Aspects such loss of Species of Special Concern, loss of biodiversity, loss of riparian/ riverine habitat and water quality issues have been dealt with in the Ecological Assessment. 3.3 Permit requirements The following documents (amongst others) will be needed for a Water Use License Application due to the project being within 500m of a wetland area, as required by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA): Wetland areas delineation supplied together with a desktop analysis and potential sensitivity identification, i.e. this report. Application forms for Section 21 (c) and (i) use. Note that the current Section 21 (c) and (i) General Authorizations (GAs) do not apply to the use of water within a 500m radius from the boundary of a wetland. Should construction within these boundaries be considered, licensing and not registration will have to take place. Supporting documentation in terms of the activity and applicant The following activities associated with the development require a water use license, as stipulated by the legislation shown below: NWA (Act 36 of 1998) Section 21 (c) impeding or diverting the flow of water in a water course (i) altering the beds, banks, course or characteristics of a water course Scherman Colloty & Associates 34 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

29 4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT The potential impacts on the aquatic environment were assessed based on the supplied methodology from GIBB. The reader should also refer to the Ecological Assessment report as certain aspects such as the potential impact on Species of Special Concern, Loss of biodiversity have already been assessed in that report (incl of the aquatic / riparian aspects). 4.1 The potential loss of wetland habitat through physical destruction and alteration of the hydrological regime through soil changes Cause and comment The only portion of the project footprint, with or without mitigation is the loss of wetland habitat when a pipeline is placed directly within a wetland. This could result in the loss of wetland vegetation as well as the disturbance of the wetland soil structure. Changes to the soil structure in particular to a depth of 50cm can alter subsurface flows, thus impacting on the hydrological regime of the wetland. This is of particular significance as the proposed alignments will traverse 9 wetlands, of which 8 are areas. Seepage wetlands (s) are areas, mostly found in the upper catchments, which usually form when groundwater s from the soils or rock. This then creates moist soils conditions that are colonised by hygrophilous plant species. Significance of impact The proposed alignment will have a direct impact on 9 wetlands (consisting of 12 wetland units or areas) during the construction phase, with soils are being excavated within the 20m footprint, i.e. of a medium duration. These are located within the following alignments (See Appendix B for the wetland numbers): Mthatha Town / Airport corridor (Wetlands # 8, 10 & 11) Libode (Wetlands # 33, 40, 41, 44, & 55) Mqanduli (Wetlands # 20) However after an assessment of the these areas, the Present Ecological State of these wetlands were found to be either, C E as the wetlands are located in mostly secondary or degraded areas thus the overall would be impact significance would be considered Moderate (negative) (Table 4). No operational phase impacts where identified with regard this impact. Mitigation and management Where possible the pipeline should be placed outside the boundary of the 8 wetlands. The degree of construction disturbance should be limited to the smallest possible areas in order to minimise the potential wetland and hydrological impacts, i.e. reduce the need for any construction within the areas and the one floodplain. Topsoil conservation practices are recommended, and these should be reinstated immediately after the pipeline has been installed Any of the affected wetland areas should be monitored on a monthly basis to ensure that local hydrological regimes and any erosion within the construction footprint have not taken place. The areas are particularly susceptible to head-cut formation as this should be closely monitored during and for a 6 month period after construction. Reversibility of impact and irreplaceable loss of resources Scherman Colloty & Associates 35 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

30 As direct impacts would result from the proposed project, irreplaceable loss of wetland or water courses are anticipated and the mitigations are upheld, then the reversibility of the impact would be Moderate, and the impact on resources would be Low. 4.2 Habitat fragmentation loss of ecological corridors Cause and comment This impact would be categorised as a cumulative impact both in the construction and operational phase, as it would impact on the region with regard to habitat fragmentation. The permanent loss of any aquatic system would be seen as habitat fragmentation. The majority of mobile aquatic organisms require stepping stones to leap frog between their required habitats. Significance of impact Due to the current land use practices within the study area, a degree of habitat fragmentation has already occurred. Should the project go ahead without mitigation, possible fragmentation would continue. The significance of this impact would however be Low (negative) in the long-term, due to the nature of the aquatic bodies found, i.e. the small wetlands areas observed and the nature of the project (i.e. the narrow footprint, with the pipeline that is buried and soils being reinstated. Should the wetlands and river crossings remain un-affected by way of mitigation, then overall significance would be LOW (negative) (Table 4). During the operational phase, surface water flows will not be diverted or impeded thus not future changes in the hydrological regime that support aquatic habitats and the associated species are anticipated Mitigation and management It is still advised that all wetlands and water courses, together with the prescribed buffers, be enforced and that any additional impacts such as erosion of these not be allowed. It is further recommended that the 84 river crossings be carefully assessed and where possible the pipelines be relocated to outside of the delineated water courses. This would reduce the number of crossings, particularly in where the pipelines impact on the upper catchment areas near the source of the streams. Reversibility of impact and irreplaceable loss of resources If the mitigations are upheld, then direct impacts are anticipated, however the reversibility of the impact would be Moderate, and the impact on resources would be Moderate. 4.3 Sedimentation and erosion Cause and comment This impact would be also categorised as a cumulative impact, as it would impact on the region should the wetland areas and water courses receive excessive surface flows. This would increase surface water flow velocities within the site possibly resulting in a risk of soil erosion and later downstream sedimentation. Should sediments eventually reach the downstream systems, this could have impacts on sediment loads, but also smother benthic habitats (plants and invertebrates). Scherman Colloty & Associates 36 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

31 Significance of impact The significance of this impact would however be Moderate (negative), due to the scale and locality of the operations in the construction phase as well as during the operational phase. Should surface water run-off be managed, by way of mitigation, i.e. suitable stormwater management along the servitudes, then overall significance would be LOW (negative) for the construction and operations phase (Table 4). Mitigation and management During construction, erosion should be monitored while areas of vegetation are being cleared. Hard engineered surfaces that increase surface water run-off should be limited and a stormwater management plan should be created for the development for the operations phase, particularly for the proposed reservoirs. All mitigation proposed for the rehabilitation of the works, as indicated in the Ecological Assessment should be upheld. Reversibility of impact and irreplaceable loss of resources If the mitigations are upheld, then direct impacts are anticipated, thus the reversibility of the impact would be High, and the impact on resources would be Moderate. Scherman Colloty & Associates 37 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

32 Table 4. Significance of impacts during construction and operation Aquatic Assessment December 2013 Impact Loss of wetland habitat, ecosystem services and biodiversity services Habitat fragmentation loss of ecological corridors Sedimentation and erosion Status - ve or +ve Extent Duration Intensity Probability Mitigation or management Action Significance (no mitigation) Significance (with mitigation) Confidence level Reversibility of impact Irreplaceable loss of resources -ve Low Low Moderate High See section 4.1 High Moderate High High Moderate -ve Low Low Low High See section 4.2 High Low High High Moderate -ve Low Moderate Low High See section 4.3 High Low High High Moderate Scherman Colloty & Associates 38 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

33 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Various water bodies, ranging from s, with localised catchments, to rivers and streams dominated the regional and study area landscape. All of the observed aquatic features showed a moderate to high degree of impact due to the present land use practices or local housing and infrastructure. Thus the Present Ecological State of the systems was considered to be modified (PES = C or D). The Ecological Importance and Sensitivity for most of these systems were also rated Moderate (C or D) due to their importance in providing habitat to various birds and amphibians in the region, while most form the sources to the majority of rivers/streams within the study area. Nine, consisting of 12 wetland units would have structures placed directly within wetland areas, and the delineations as shown in Figure 6 (a e) will be provided to the engineering team. Thus where possible the alignments are revised to avoid these areas. This is particulary important within the Libode alignment due to the higher number of wetlands found. However as the pipeline will be buried and the soils will be reinstated, it is envisaged that the overall impact on these largely degraded systems would be Moderate as these wetlands are solely dependent on groundwater interflow and this would be reinstated once the pipelines have been buried. The proposed pipeline routes will require 84 streams or riparian zones crossings or their required buffers (32m). Thus Water Use License Applications (WULAs) would be required for construction within beds and banks of a water course and possible impeding or diverting of flows (Section 21 c & i). It has been proposed that the larger crossings will be placed under the riverbeds using directional drilling / pipe jacking. This is advocated as this would minimise the disturbance to bed and banks of these systems, while having no possible impact on flows. Further recommendations and monitoring guidelines include: Vegetation clearing should occur in parallel with the construction progress to minimise erosion and/or run-off. Large tracts of bare soil will either cause dust pollution or quickly erode and then cause sedimentation in the lower portions of the catchment. Only indigenous plant species must be used in the re-vegetation process. The species list mentioned in this and the Ecological study should be used a guide All construction materials including fuels and oil should be stored in demarcated areas that are contained within berms / bunds to avoid spread of any contamination into wetlands or rivers. Washing and cleaning of equipment should also be done within berms or bunds, in order to trap any cement and prevent excessive soil erosion. These sites must be re-vegetated after construction has been completed. Mechanical plant and bowsers must not be refuelled or serviced within or directly adjacent to any river channel or wetland area. It is therefore suggested that all construction camps, lay down areas, batching plants or areas and any storage areas should be more than 50m / floodline from any demarcated wetland or riverine area It is also advised that an Environmental Control Officer, with a good understanding of the local flora be appointed during the construction phase. The ECO should be able to make clear recommendations with regards to the re-vegetation of the newly completed / disturbed areas, using selected species detailed in this and the terrestrial vegetation report. All alien plant re-growth must be monitored and should it occur these plants should be eradicated. Where any works (e.g. storm water control measures) near a wetland or river is required specific attention should be paid to the immediate re-vegetation of cleared areas to prevent future erosion of sedimentation issues. Scherman Colloty & Associates 39 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

34 All relevant buffers mentioned in this report should be included into future designs and later engineering diagrams. Scherman Colloty & Associates 40 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

35 6 REFERENCES Agenda 21 Action plan for sustainable development of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983). Davies, B. and Day J., (1998). Vanishing Waters. University of Cape Town Press. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry - DWAF (2005). A practical field procedure for identification and delineation of wetland and riparian areas Edition 1. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry - DWAF (2007). Manual for the assessment of a Wetland Index of Habitat Integrity for South African floodplain and channelled valley bottom wetland types by M. Rountree (ed); C.P. Todd, C. J. Kleynhans, A. L. Batchelor, M. D. Louw, D. Kotze, D. Walters, S. Schroeder, P. Illgner, M. Uys. and G.C. Marneweck. Report no. N/0000/00/WEI/0407. Resource Quality Services, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria, South Africa. Driver A., Sink, K.J., Nel, J.N., Holness, S., Van Niekerk, L., Daniels, F., Jonas, Z., Majiedt, P.A., Harris, L. & Maze, K National Biodiversity Assessment 2011: An assessment of South Africa s biodiversity and ecosystems. Synthesis Report. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Department of Environmental Affairs, Pretoria. Ewart-Smith J.L., Ollis D.J., Day J.A. and Malan H.L. (2006). National Wetland Inventory: Development of a Wetland Classification System for South Africa. WRC Report No. KV 174/06. Water Research Commission, Pretoria. Kleynhans C.J., Thirion C. and Moolman J. (2005). A Level 1 Ecoregion Classification System for South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Report No. N/0000/00/REQ0104. Resource Quality Services, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria. Kotze D.C., Marneweck G.C., Batchelor A.L., Lindley D.S. and Collins N. (2008). WET-EcoServices A technique for rapidly assessing ecosystem services supplied by wetlands. WRC Report No: TT 339/08. Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002), as amended. Mitsch, J.G. and Gosselink, G. (2000). Wetlands 3 rd End, Wiley, NewYork, 2000, 920 pg. National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended. National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998), as amended Nel, J., Maree, G., Roux, D., Moolman, J., Kleynhans, N., Silberbauer, M. and Driver, A South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report. Volume 2: River Component. CSIR Report Number ENV-S-I Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Stellenbosch. Nel, J.L., Murray, K.M., Maherry, A.M., Petersen, C.P., Roux, D.J., Driver, A., Hill, L., Van Deventer, H., Funke, N., Swartz, E.R., Smith-Adao, L.B., Mbona, N., Downsborough, L. and Nienaber, S. (2011). Technical Report for the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas project. WRC Report No. K5/1801. Parsons R. (2004). Surface Water Groundwater Interaction in a Southern African Context. WRC Report TT 218/03, Pretoria. Ramsar Convention, (1971) including the Wetland Conservation Programme (DEAT) and the National Wetland Rehabilitation Initiative (DEAT, 2000). SANBI (2009). Further Development of a Proposed National Wetland Classification System for South Africa. Primary Project Report. Prepared by the Freshwater Consulting Group (FCG) for the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Scherman Colloty & Associates 41 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

36 7 APPENDIX A: RESULTS OF THE PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE SCORES (SHERMAN COLLOTY & ASSOCIATES, 2013) FOR THE T20, T70 AND T80 CATCHMENTS (SUBQUATERNARY) Scherman Colloty & Associates 42 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

37 Scherman Colloty & Associates 43 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

38 Scherman Colloty & Associates 44 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

39 8 APPENDIX B WETLAND DELINEATION RESULT AND SPECIFIC PRESENT ECOLOGICAL STATE AND ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY SCORES Wetland # Key Airport / Mthatha (Light orange line) Scherman Colloty & Associates 45 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

40 Mqanduli (Red Line) Scherman Colloty & Associates 46 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

41 Libode (Green Line) Scherman Colloty & Associates 47 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

42 Ngqeleni (Orange line) Scherman Colloty & Associates 48 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

43 Nqadu (Purple line) Scherman Colloty & Associates 49 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

44 Scherman Colloty & Associates 50 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

45 Wetland delineation results (Where PES = Present Ecological State & EIS = Ecological Importance and Sensitivity) Wetland Unit # 1 Seep 1 Seep 2 Seep 3 Seep 4 Seep 5 Seep 6 Seep Description 7 Depression 8 Seep 9 Seep 10 Seep 11 Seep 12 Seep 13 Seep 14 Seep 15 Seep 17 Seep 18 Seep 19 Seep 20 Seep 21 Seep 22 Seep 23 Seep Wetland type Impacts PES EIS Comment Pipeline corridor Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Bench High EIS due to unique nature of wetland type and contained within an area Mthatha / depression Largely natural grassland areas B High that is largely protected from over grazing within the airport boundary Airport Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low This system also receives run-off from a peri-urban area Airport Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Mthatha / Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Airport Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Valleyhead Conversion to dryland cultivation, Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Mqanduli severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu Co-ordinates (WGS DD.ddd) Scherman Colloty & Associates 51 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

46 Wetland Unit # 24 Seep 25 Seep 26 Seep 27 Seep 28 Seep 29 Seep 30 Seep 31 Seep 32 Seep 33 Seep 33 Seep 34 Seep 35 Seep 36 Seep 37 Seep Description 38 Depression 39 Seep 40 Seep 41 Seep 42 Seep 42 Seep 43 Seep 43 Seep 44 Seep Aquatic Assessment December 2013 Wetland type Impacts PES EIS Comment Pipeline corridor Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Nqadu Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu severe erosion headcuts D/E Low Nqadu Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Ngqeleni Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Bench depression Forestry D/E Low Ngqeleni Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Co-ordinates (WGS DD.ddd) Scherman Colloty & Associates 52 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

47 Wetland Unit # 45 Seep 46 Seep 47 Seep 48 Seep 49 Seep 50 Seep 51 Seep 52 Seep 53 Seep 54 Seep 55 Seep 56 Seep Description Aquatic Assessment December 2013 Wetland type Impacts PES EIS Comment Pipeline corridor Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Grazing, regular fires, alien vegetation D Low Libode Co-ordinates (WGS DD.ddd) Scherman Colloty & Associates 53 King Sibata Dalinyebo Bulk Water

48 5.2 APPENDIX D2.1 Botanical Specialist Report Maps 15

49 Vegetation and Floristics: Thornhill Bulk Water Supply ADDENDUM MAPS LIBODE CORRIDOR Looking west from Sample Site 10. Addendum Maps: Libode Corridor 1