Your search found 22 records
1 van de Ruit, C.; May, J. 2003. Triangulating qualitative and quantitative approaches to the measurement of poverty: A case study in Limpopo Province, South Africa. IDS Bulletin, 34(4):21-33.
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: PER Record No: H033756)
2 Perret, S.; Lavigne, M.; Stirer, N.; Yokwe, S.; Dikgale, K. S. 2003. The Thabina irrigation scheme in a context of rehabilitation and management transfer: prospective analysis and local empowerment. Final report. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Project number: 2003-068. Montpellier, Cedex, France: CIRAD; Pretoria, South Africa: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Pretoria, South Africa: University of Pretoria. 34p.
Research projects ; Irrigation systems ; Canals ; Government managed irrigation systems ; Rehabilitation ; Privatization ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Empowerment ; Water user associations ; User charges ; Water rates ; Case studies / South Africa / Thabina Irrigation Scheme / Dingleydale / New Forest / Levuvhu-Letaba / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043097)
http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/18071/1/wp040005.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043097.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043097.pdf
(179.04 KB)
3 Simalenga, T. E.; Mantsha, S. Z. 2003. Soil-water conservation systems practiced by smallholder farmers in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In Beukes, D.; de Villiers, M.; Mkhize, S.; Sally, H.; van Rensburg, L. (Eds.). Proceedings of the Symposium and Workshop on Water Conservation Technologies for Sustainable Dryland Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa (WCT), held at Bloem Spa Lodge and Conference Centre, Bloemfontein, South Africa, 8-11 April 2003. Pretoria, South Africa: ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate and Water. pp.234-238.
Soil water ; Water conservation ; Conservation tillage / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Vhembe District
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: IWMI 631.7.1 G100 BEU Record No: H034407)
4 ICID. 2006. 56th IEC Meeting and 19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). Workshop Proceedings on Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies, Beijing, China, 14 September 2005: Final report. Rome, Italy: FAO. IPTRID Secretariat. xii, 131p.
Capacity building ; Irrigation management ; Natural resources ; Strategy planning ; Education ; Training ; Extension ; Food security ; Farmers ; Gender ; Water law / Indonesia / Nicaragua / Africa / China / India / Aral Sea Basin / Andhra Pradesh / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: ICID 631.7 G000 ICI Record No: H038592)
5 Botha, M. 2006. Design and implementation of capacity development strategies: A South African case study. In 56th IEC Meeting and 19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). Workshop Proceedings on Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies, Beijing, China, 14 September 2005: Final report. Rome, Italy: FAO. IPTRID Secretariat. pp.67-88.
Capacity building ; Irrigation programs ; Farmers ; Training ; Education ; Agricultural extension / South Africa / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: ICID 631.7 G000 ICI Record No: H038598)
6 Hope, R. A. 2006. Water, workfare and poverty: The impact of the working for water programme on rural poverty reduction. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 8:139-156.
Water resources ; Poverty ; Labor ; Income ; Wages ; Development projects ; Irrigation programs / South Africa / Luvuvhu catchment / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: P 7690 Record No: H039573)
7 Kanyoka, Phillipa; Farolfi, S.; Morardet, Sylvie. 2008. Household preferences for multiple use water services in rural areas of South Africa: an analysis based on choice modeling. In Humphreys, E.; Bayot, R. S.; van Brakel, M.; Gichuki, F.; Svendsen, M.; Wester, P.; Huber-Lee, A.; Cook, S. Douthwaite, B.; Hoanh, Chu Thai; Johnson, N.; Nguyen-Khoa, Sophie; Vidal, A.; MacIntyre, I.; MacIntyre, R. (Eds.). Fighting poverty through sustainable water use: proceedings of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food, 2nd International Forum on Water and Food, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 10-14 November 2008. Vol.3. Water benefits sharing for poverty alleviation and conflict management; Drivers and processes of change. Colombo, Sri Lanka: CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food. pp.95-98.
Multiple use ; Water supply ; Domestic water ; Financing ; Cost recovery ; User charges ; Households ; Rural areas / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Sekororo-Letsoalo Area / Olifants River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI 333.91 G000 HUM Record No: H041858)
http://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/3708/IFWF2_proceedings_Volume%20III.pdf?sequence=1
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H041858.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H041858.pdf
(0.10 MB)
8 Perret, S.; Farolfi, S.; Hassan, R. (Eds.) 2006. Water governance for sustainable development. London, UK: Earthscan. 295p.
Water governance ; Institutions ; Participatory management ; Stakeholders ; Farmer participation ; Privatization ; Legislation ; Water supply ; Domestic water ; Irrigation management ; Irrigation canals ; Groundwater irrigation / Africa / South Africa / Tanzania / Morocco / Mexico / Limpopo Province / Sekhukhune District / Mkoji Sub Catchment / Steelpoort Sub-Basin / Tadla Irrigation Scheme / Thabina Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 PER Record No: H042551)
(5.69 MB)
Good management of water resources - universally identified as a key aspect of poverty reduction, agriculture and food security - has proven, in practice, as difficult to achieve as it is eagerly sought. This book, edited and authored by leading authorities on water resource management, examines the recent changes in governance, institutions, economics and policies of water, covering developing, transitional and developed countries, with special emphasis on southern African case studies. The book examines how water policies, institutions and governance have shifted in recent years from supply-driven, quantitative, centrally controlled management to more demand-sensitive, decentralized, participatory approaches. Such a move often also implies cost recovery principles, resource allocation among competing sectors, and privatization. The case studies demonstrate that the new policies and legal frameworks have been difficult to implement and often fall short of initial expectations.
Using an accessible multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, geography and policy analysis, the book untangles the issues and presents best practices for policy- and decision-makers, governments and regulators, NGOs and user groups, service providers, and researchers. The overall aim is to show how good water governance structures can be developed and implemented for the benefit of all.
Using an accessible multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, geography and policy analysis, the book untangles the issues and presents best practices for policy- and decision-makers, governments and regulators, NGOs and user groups, service providers, and researchers. The overall aim is to show how good water governance structures can be developed and implemented for the benefit of all.
9 Uiterweer, N. C. P.; Zwarteveen, M. Z.; Veldwisch, G. J.; van Koppen, Barbara. 2006. Redressing inequities through domestic water supply: a 'poor' example from Sekhukhune, South Africa. In Perret, S.; Farolfi, S.; Hassan, R. (Eds.). Water governance for sustainable development. London, UK: Earthscan. pp.55-74.
Domestic water ; Water supply ; Villages ; Local government ; Water policy ; Water rates / South Africa / Sekhukhune District / Ga-Mashishi / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 PER Record No: H042552)
(1.59 MB)
10 Perret, S. R. 2006. Local empowerment in smallholder irrigation schemes: a methodology for participatory diagnosis and prospective analysis. In Perret, S.; Farolfi, S.; Hassan, R. (Eds.). Water governance for sustainable development. London, UK: Earthscan. pp.239-257.
Irrigation schemes ; Participatory management ; Water users ; Empowerment ; Simulation models / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Thabina Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 PER Record No: H043096)
http://www.sasa.org.za/Uploads/sasri/AGRON%20ASSOC/agron_pdfs/2005/SR%20Perret.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043096.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043096.pdf
(0.11 MB)
In the former bantustans of South Africa, most smallholder irrigation schemes (SIS), although moribund, are earmarked for rehabilitation and management transfer. Although such processes are backed-up with important means, it remains difficult to evaluate the schemes’ prospects and potential in terms of financial viability and overall sustainability. Besides, beneficiaries are hardly prepared to take over management at both farm and scheme level, as they lack technical and managerial skills, capital and markets, in a context of unclear property rights over resources, dependency and individualism. The paper briefly describes such situation, and then presents a multi-disciplinary, action-research approach that has been developed to address such issues. It first describes the approach, which makes use of a tool, Smile, as a database, as a model and as a simulation platform. The paper then describes a participatory and heuristic application of the tool, using examples from a recent case study. The approach first involves a quantitative, technical, and economic diagnosis of the scheme. Crop and farmer typologies are established, validated by the management committee members, and then captured into the Smile platform. Workshops are then organized in order to collect questions, ideas and scenarios worth-testing. In a recent case study, the following areas have been addressed: bulk water supply, farming systems, land re-allocation, water charging system. The results of several simulations and action-research projects show that crop diversification and intensification are the current best options towards cost recovery, sustainable livelihoods, and the viability of SIS, in a context of limited resources. Clarification on land rights, and some form of land reallocation towards willing farmers should also help. Results also demonstrate that both diagnosis and simulations prompt collective learning and participation by farmers. First, the diagnosis allows them to collectively talk, reflect and agree on the current situation and issues. Second, the prospective and heuristic analysis through scenario-testing helps to define longer term strategies for the scheme, and to identify development pathways that are documented and discussed. Such an approach shows huge potential for the information of transfer operators, and for farmers’ training, participation and empowerment.
11 Pavlinov, I. Y. (Ed.). 2011. Research in biodiversity - models and applications. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech. 364p.
Biodiversity conservation ; Regression analysis ; Mathematical models ; Ecosystems ; History ; Land cover change ; Research networks ; Forests ; Grasslands ; Environmental impact assessment ; Species ; Coleoptera ; Breeding ; Climate change ; Legal aspects ; Environmental legislation ; GIS ; Mapping ; Case studies ; Morphology / South Africa / Africa South of Sahara / Europe / India / Costa Rica / Brazil / Mexico / Japan / China / Austria / Ntumbuloko / Limpopo Province / Boreal Forest / Western Ghats / Marajo Island / Amazonian Savannas
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044388)
http://www.intechopen.com/books/show/title/research-in-biodiversity-models-and-applications
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044388.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044388.pdf
(33.45 MB) (31.8MB)
12 Nhemachena, Charles; Jonas, S.; Karuaihe, S. 2015. Understanding of the current practices, challenges and opportunities of the green economy in Limpopo Province [South Africa] Journal of Public Administration, 50(1):6-31.
Economic aspects ; Economic policy ; Poverty ; Unemployment ; Public education ; Sustainable development ; Environmental management ; Municipal governments ; Waste management ; Recycling ; Energy management ; Land management ; Transport ; Agriculture / South Africa / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047187)
(0.46 MB)
The paper investigates the current practices of the green economy, and challenges and opportunities in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The paper is based on a baseline study designed to gather data from key informants in Limpopo provincial, district and local municipalities. Twenty-three key informants in the province were interviewed. Primary data collected from key informants was supplemented by secondary data from document reviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data on the current practices of green economy, and challenges and opportunities in the province. Findings from the study suggest that there is generally significant awareness of the green economy concept across the provincial district and local municipalities in Limpopo Province. However, there are gaps in terms of information gathering, storage and sharing on green economy activities in the district municipalities, provincial and national departments. The main barriers constraining the implementation of green economy initiatives in the municipalities include lack of information; shortage of workers with full knowledge on green economy; shortage of training programmes on green economy; and costs of implementation. The main recommendations from this research include the need to improve awareness of green economy activities across all levels in the province, especially with communities’ need for evidence-based research to demonstrate the potential of green economy activities that can contribute to job creation and poverty reduction; and training of officials on how the green economy can contribute to addressing developmental challenges such as service delivery, job creation, local economic development and poverty reduction.
13 van Koppen, Barbara; Tapela, B.; Mapedza, Everisto. 2015. Gender, rights, and the politics of productivity: the case of the Flag Boshielo Irrigation Scheme, South Africa. In Hellum, A.; Kameri-Mbote, P.; van Koppen, Barbara. (Eds.) Water is life: women’s human rights in national and local water governance in southern and eastern Africa. Harare, Zimbabwe: Weaver Press. pp.535-574.
Gender ; Men ; Women ; Human rights ; Political aspects ; Irrigation schemes ; Water rights ; Water resources ; Water management ; Domestic water ; Multiple use ; Food security ; Local government ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Labor ; Training ; Case studies / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Flag Boshielo Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047310)
(3.51 MB)
14 Mapedza, Everisto; van Koppen, Barbara; Sithole, P.; Bourblanc, M. 2016. Joint venture schemes in Limpopo Province and their outcomes on smallholder farmers livelihoods. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 92:92-98. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2015.10.016]
Smallholders ; Living standards ; Irrigation schemes ; Sprinkler irrigation ; Gender ; Male labour ; Female labour ; Land resources ; Water resources ; Water use ; Multiple use ; Sustainability / South Africa / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047393)
(1.48 MB)
Joint Venture schemes based on the floppy irrigation technology are being promoted in the post-Apartheid South Africa's Limpopo Province. Access to land and water resources in South Africa are largely viewed as a mechanism for re-dressing the Apartheid injustices. This research was part of a broader applied research to help inform irrigation practise in the Limpopo Province. The research used literature review, key informant interviews and a questionnaire survey. The overall research question sought to understand how the Joint Venture Schemes had benefited the smallholder farmers. This paper argues that the joint venture partnership created a new injustice. Firstly, the Joint Venture Scheme design is fundamentally a bad idea which disempower farmers not only to water access but also land as well. The choice of the ‘efficient’ floppy irrigation technology was made by the state and entailed that land had to be managed as a single unit. In order to make more effective use of this highly sophisticated new technology, the smallholder farmers also needed to go into a joint venture partnership with a white commercial farmer. By virtue of signing the Joint Venture agreement the farmers were also forfeiting their land and water rights to be used for crop production. The smallholder farmers lost access to their water and land resources and were largely relegated to sharing profits – when they exist - with hardly any skills development despite what was initially envisaged in the Joint Venture partnership. Secondly, the implementation of the JVS has been skewed from the start which explains the bad results. This paper further shows how the negative outcomes affected women in particular. As the smallholder farmers argue the technological options chosen by the state have excluded both male and female farmers from accessing and utilising their land and water resources in order to improve their livelihoods; it has entrenched the role of the state and the private interests at the expense of the smallholder male and female farmers in whose name the irrigation funding was justified. The paper concludes by offering recommendations on how joint venture schemes can be genuinely participatory and meaningfully address the rural livelihoods.
15 Denby, K.; Movik, S.; Mehta, L.; van Koppen, Barbara. 2016. The 'Trickle Down' of IWRM: a case study of local-level realities in the Inkomati Water Management Area, South Africa. Water Alternatives, 9(3):473-492.
Integrated management ; Water resources ; Water management ; Water allocation ; Water governance ; Water availability ; Legal aspects ; Water law ; Land reform ; Farmers ; Decentralization ; Equity ; Catchment areas ; Rivers ; Agriculture ; Case studies / South Africa / Mpumalanga Province / Limpopo Province / Inkomati Water Management Area
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047789)
http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol9/v9issue3/333-a9-3-6/file
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047789.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047789.pdf
(721 KB)
The historical legacy in South Africa of apartheid and the resulting discriminatory policies and power imbalances are critical to understanding how water is managed and allocated, and how people participate in designated water governance structures. The progressive post-apartheid National Water Act (NWA) is the principal legal instrument related to water governance which has broadly embraced the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This translation of IWRM into the South African context and, in particular, the integration of institutions related to land and water have faced many challenges due to the political nature of water and land reforms, and the tendency of governmental departments to work in silos. The paper explores the dynamics surrounding the implementation of IWRM in the Inkomati Water Management Area, and the degree of integration between the parallel land and water reform processes. It also looks at what these reforms mean to black farmers’ access to water for their sugar cane crops at the regional (basin) and local levels. The empirical material highlights the discrepancies between a progressive IWRM-influenced policy on paper and the actual realities on the ground. The paper argues that the decentralisation and integration aspects of IWRM in South Africa have somewhat failed to take off in the country and what 'integrated' actually entails is unclear. Furthermore, efforts to implement the NWA and IWRM in South Africa have been fraught with challenges in practice, because the progressive policy did not fully recognise the complex historical context, and the underlying inequalities in knowledge, power and resource access.
16 Cai, Xueliang; Magidi, J.; Nhamo, Luxon; van Koppen, Barbara. 2017. Mapping irrigated areas in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 37p. (IWMI Working Paper 172) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2017.205]
Irrigated land ; Agricultural land ; Cultivated land ; Agricultural development ; Rainfed farming ; Land cover ; Remote sensing ; Satellite imagery ; Mapping ; Sustainable development ; Water resources ; Water security ; Surface water ; Groundwater irrigation ; Seasonal cropping ; Winter crops ; Food production ; Developing countries ; Irrigation operation ; Smallholders ; Surveys ; Capacity building / South Africa / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048084)
(2 MB)
This report summarizes the findings of a collaborative effort to map and assess irrigated areas in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study was conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), as part of the DAFF-supported ‘Revitalization of irrigation in South Africa’ project. Based on a combination of Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data, previous irrigated area mapping exercises carried out by DAFF and three-field ground truthing (GT) surveys, a total of 1.6 million hectares (Mha) of cropland were identified, with 262,000 ha actually irrigated in the 2015 winter season. The study also found that only 29% of all land equipped with center pivots was actually irrigated.
17 van Koppen, Barbara; Nhamo, Luxon; Cai, Xueliang; Gabriel, M. J.; Sekgala, M.; Shikwambana, S.; Tshikolomo, K.; Nevhutanda, S.; Matlala, B.; Manyama, D. 2017. Smallholder irrigation schemes in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 36p. (IWMI Working Paper 174) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2017.206]
Irrigation schemes ; Small scale systems ; Smallholders ; Social aspects ; Gender ; Water resources ; Water quality ; Infrastructure ; Rehabilitation ; Seasonal cropping ; Farmland ; Marketing ; Poverty ; Irrigated land ; Land tenure ; Land ownership ; Soils ; Vegetables ; Farmers ; Utilization ; State intervention / South Africa / Limpopo Province
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048142)
(2 MB)
A survey of 76 public smallholder irrigation schemes in the Limpopo Province was jointly conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), South Africa, and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), as part of the ‘Revitalization of Smallholder Irrigation in South Africa’ project. About one-third of those schemes was fully utilized; one-third partially utilized; and one-third not utilized in the winter of 2015; however, no single socioeconomic, physical, agronomic and marketing variable could explain these differences in utilization. Sale, mostly for informal markets, appeared the most important goal. Dilapidated infrastructure was the most important constraint cited by the farmers. The study recommends ways to overcome the build-neglect-rebuild syndrome, and to learn lessons from informal irrigation, which covers an area three to four times as large as public irrigation schemes in the province.
18 Nhamo, Luxon; van Dijk, R.; Magidi, J.; Wiberg, David; Tshikolomo, K. 2018. Improving the accuracy of remotely sensed irrigated areas using post-classification enhancement through UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] capability. Remote Sensing, 10(5):1-12. (Special issue: Remote Sensing for Crop Water Management). [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10050712]
Irrigated sites ; Remote sensing ; Unmanned aerial vehicles ; Land use mapping ; Land cover mapping ; Satellite imagery ; Landsat ; Farmland ; Vegetation index ; Crops / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Venda / Gazankulu
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048752)
(2.23 MB) (2.23 MB)
Although advances in remote sensing have enhanced mapping and monitoring of irrigated areas, producing accurate cropping information through satellite image classification remains elusive due to the complexity of landscapes, changes in reflectance of different land-covers, the remote sensing data selected, and image processing methods used, among others. This study extracted agricultural fields in the former homelands of Venda and Gazankulu in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Landsat 8 imageries for 2015 were used, applying the maximum likelihood supervised classifier to delineate the agricultural fields. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) applied on Landsat imageries on the mapped fields during the dry season (July to August) was used to identify irrigated areas, because years of satellite data analysis suggest that healthy crop conditions during dry seasons are only possible with irrigation. Ground truth points totaling 137 were collected during fieldwork for pre-processing and accuracy assessment. An accuracy of 96% was achieved on the mapped agricultural fields, yet the irrigated area map produced an initial accuracy of only 71%. This study explains and improves the 29% error margin from the irrigated areas. Accuracy was enhanced through post-classification correction (PCC) using 74 post-classification points randomly selected from the 2015 irrigated area map. High resolution aerial photographs of the 74 sample fields were acquired by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to give a clearer picture of the irrigated fields. The analysis shows that mapped irrigated fields that presented anomalies included abandoned croplands that had green invasive alien species or abandoned fruit plantations that had high NDVI values. The PCC analysis improved irrigated area mapping accuracy from 71% to 95%.
19 Ebrahim, Girma Y.; Villholth, Karen G.; Boulos, M. 2019. Integrated hydrogeological modelling of hard-rock semi-arid terrain: supporting sustainable agricultural groundwater use in Hout catchment, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Hydrogeology Journal, 27(3):965-981. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-01957-6]
Hydrogeology ; Integrated management ; Modelling ; Sustainable agriculture ; Groundwater management ; Groundwater recharge ; Groundwater extraction ; Water use ; Water levels ; Water requirements ; Catchment areas ; Semiarid zones ; Aquifers ; Rainfall-runoff relationships ; Remote sensing ; Vegetation ; Climate change ; Precipitation ; Pumping / Africa South of Sahara / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Hout Catchment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049181)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10040-019-01957-6.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049181.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049181.pdf
(3.44 MB)
An integrated hydrogeological modelling approach applicable to hard-rock aquifers in semi-arid data-scarce Africa was developed using remote sensing, rainfall-runoff modelling, and a three-dimensional (3D) dynamic model. The integrated modelling approach was applied to the Hout catchment, Limpopo Province, South Africa, an important agricultural region where groundwater abstraction for irrigation doubled during 1968–1986. Since the 1960s, groundwater levels in irrigated areas have displayed extended periods of decline with partial or full recovery in response to major decadal rainfall events or periods. The integrated dynamic 3D hydrogeological flow model, based on the One-Water Hydrologic Flow Model (MODFLOW-OWHM), helped to understand recharge and flow processes and inform water use and management. Irrigation abstraction was estimated based on irrigated crop area delineated using the Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and crop water requirements. Using groundwater level data, the model was calibrated (2008–2012) and validated (2013–2015). Estimated mean diffuse recharge (3.3 ± 2.5% of annual rainfall) compared well with estimates from the Precipitation Runoff Modelling System model. Recharge and groundwater storage showed significant inter-annual variability. The ephemeral river was found to be losing, with mean net flux to the aquifer (focused recharge) of ~1.1% of annual rainfall. The results indicate a delicate human-natural system reliant on the small but highly variable recharge, propagating through variable pumping to an even more variable storage, making the combined system vulnerable to climate and anthropogenic changes. The integrated modelling is fundamental for understanding spatio-temporal variability in key parameters required for managing the groundwater resource sustainably.
20 Abiye, T. A.; Tshipala, D.; Leketa, K.; Villholth, Karen G.; Ebrahim, Girma Y.; Magombeyi, Manuel; Butler, M. 2020. Hydrogeological characterization of crystalline aquifer in the Hout River Catchment, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 11:100406. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2020.100406]
Aquifers ; Hydrogeology ; Catchment areas ; Groundwater flow ; Groundwater table ; Groundwater recharge ; Groundwater irrigation ; Isotopes ; Rain / South Africa / Limpopo Province / Hout River Catchment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049720)
(4.26 MB)
This study attempted to conceptualize the hydrogeological setting of the Hout River Catchment, located in the Limpopo River Basin, using multiple methods that include groundwater flow patterns, structural analysis, stable (18O, 2H and 13C) and radiogenic (14C) isotopes of water and Water Table Fluctuation methods. The hydrogeological system of the catchment is represented by fractured crystalline basement aquifer as the main host for groundwater and is overlain by weathered rocks that act as a vadose zone and shallow aquifer in various places. Groundwater from the fractured basement rocks is the main source of water for large-scale irrigation and domestic use. Potential aquifers in the area are evident within the Hout River granitic gneiss and the Goudplaats granitic gneiss besides the younger granites as a result of fracturing and weathering. Groundwater flow map shows a flow pattern from the southern part of the catchment towards the north-eastern part of the catchment dictated by dolerite dykes and tectonic lineaments that trend in the ENE and E direction (088° and 075°) with the dip angle of 50° to 55°. The deeper aquifer in the southern and central part of the catchment contain old groundwater with high salinity due to long residence time. The stable isotopes further confirmed the limited possibility of local recharge, with rather dominance of regional groundwater circulation into the catchment. The northern part of the catchment seems to be receiving recent recharge with the groundwater of high 14C content derived from the mountains that border the catchment.
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