Outlined Below Is a Preliminary Protocol to Assess the Degree of Dependency of Vegetation

Draft framework for data analysis for the WRC TMG Eco-impacts project

The purpose of this document is to provide a broad-brush framework for the WRC project on ecological and environmental impacts of large-scale groundwater abstraction in the Table Mountain Group (TMG) aquifer system, in order to be guide the design of the data analysis that forms part of the Scoping phase of the project.

This document consists of three parts:

Part A: Conceptual approach to assessing the degree of dependency of vegetation on groundwater and actions to protect those ecosystems

Part B: Priority data sets for possible use in data analysis

Part C: Data catalogue (based on the July 2002 data audit)

Part A: Conceptual approach

Outlined below is a preliminary protocol to assess the degree of dependency of vegetation on groundwater and appropriate actions to protect those terrestrial ecosystems.

SEQUENCE OF KEY QUESTIONS / ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED FOR TMG / TOOLS AND ANALYSIS / DATA SOURCES /

PARTICIPANTS

/

OUTPUT OR OUTCOME

1. Is there groundwater available and where is it discharging? /

• Geological structural features which control groundwater flow and discharge.
• Hydraulic links to CCT’s target zones

/

• Geological mapping
• Remote sensing (RS)
• GIS analysis

/

• Geomorphological data
• Geological maps
• Springs & BH data
• RS-Landsat
• SPOT
• Expert input

/ Specialist contributions / To be added
2. Are vegetation or aquatic communities present in these areas, which contrast with the surrounding areas? / Ground truth

• Springs
• Seep
• Fault/lithological change with change in the spatial distribution of vegetation

/ Remote sensing

• Spatial contrast & Temporal contrast

Botanical mapping
Aquatic eco-assessment / Ecological maps/vegetation distribution documentation
Eco-region datasets / Specialist contributions
3. Do these communities use groundwater for all or part of the year? / Ground truth occurrence, discharge characteristics /

• Isotopes/chemistry
• Tracers
• Water Balance
• GIS analysis

/ Available field data
RS data / Specialist contributions
4. Which hydrogeological parameters are critical to the plants which use groundwater? / Ecosystem links with monitored use
Recharge, flow paths and recharge / Flow gauging.
Groundwater level monitoring
Hydrogeochemical analysis
5. Identify parameters for Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs) for groundwater and surface water (water levels, salinity, nutrients, trace elements) / Natural variations in attributes
Can they be impacted or managed
6. How is the ecosystem affected when groundwater is no longer available? / The responses of ecosystems to changes in the availability of groundwater. / Eco-mapping
Eco-physiology
Time series analysis / Expert input on the Xylem structures
Experimental groundwater manupulations / Specialist contributions/UCT
7. Understand the ecological sensitivity to groundwater and risk for future actions / Groundwater abstraction in context of other changes (Climatic change i.e long – medium term changes) / Time series analysis
Flow duration analysis /

• Climatic data
• Recharge variarations

/ Specialist contributions
8. Are these communities important with respect to ecosystem or socio-economic functions in the catchment? / The significance of the available ecosystem to the stakeholders/acceptable impacts /

• Stakeholders participation
• Resource economics

/

• Economic activities
• Goods & services

/

• Specialist contributions (WRC), general CCT, stakeholders, DWAF & CMD

9. Set RQO and Reserve thresholds /

• Stakeholders, CMAs & DWAF

Part B: Priority data sets for possible use in data analysis

The purpose of this table is to provide an overview of the data sets that could be needed for the data analysis. This table provides an update on the scope of data presented in the July 2002 data audit for the Eco-impacts project, in particular, adding data on vegetation. Details on the additional data layers listed below generally still need to be sourced and added to the data catalogue.

Description of data / Available? / Actions / Comments
1(a) GEOLOGY: STRUCTURE
Envisaged use: Combine with geology (lithology) and terrain contours to deduce groundwater flow directions and discharge areas.
Structural geology at 1:50 000 digital data: this shows dips, folds faulting, offsets, fractures etc. / From CGS. In CCT database. / Mike to obtain permission for use by WRC project team. / No processing required.
CCT TMG UMVOTO mapping
1:100 000 and 1:40 000 satellite mapping of lineaments / In CCT database. / Lucille to determine ownership and obtain permission for use by WRC project team. / No further processing at this stage. Note these are just lines and are not classified. Not clear whether these are to be used by WRC project team at this stage.
1 (b) GEOLOGY: LITHOLOGY
Envisaged use: Combine with geology (structure) and terrain contours to deduce groundwater flow directions and discharge areas
Rock types / From CGS. In CCT database / Mike to obtain permission for use by WRC project team. / No processing required.

2) GROUNDWATER

Envisaged use: To indicate at a coarse scale the occurrence of groundwater.
Groundwater/ hydrogeology maps (1:500 000): point source data; groundwater contours; aquifer types; aquifer yields; etc. / Yes. DWAF maps and records; National groundwater database; local authority data?? / These are too coarse to be useful, and are incorrect/inappropriate in some areas of the TMG.
Springs (1:500 000 maps), including mountain springs:
Flow rates; point data. / DWAF maps
Hydrocensus / Umvoto to investigate ground truthing / Need to ground-truth quality of maps vs available data?
Borehole data:
Point data; groundwater quality, levels, time series and possibly pumping rates? / DWAF (Gerhard van Zyl); National groundwater database;
NGDB / Umvoto to investigate ground truthing / Available for use by WRC project team. Need to check quality of the data. Possibly more useful for our study area than the DWAF hydrogeology maps? To time consuming for our project to compile a g/w map of the study area.

3) RIVERS

Envisaged use: To try and deduce the contribution of groundwater to river baseflow
Location of rivers and classifications (reaches) / Yes - WCSA / Cate to check with x-sands hydrologists / Based purely on gradient for CAPE reaches. Pre-GIS 1:250K
River flow data (different annual or hourly flow regimes; different baseflow contributions; flow duration curves and analyses; flood recession curves) IFR / DWAF (raw data); Molenaars, Breede, Berg, Palmiet, Koekoedoe.
Ninham Shand (processed data);
Southern Waters (processed data); CSIR has highly detailed data for small catchments included unaltered catchments, eg. Zachariashoek, Jonkershoek and Jakkalsrivier (Houwhoek) / Cate / DWAF observed data, WCSA simulated monthly data. Could look for perennial tributaries.
DWAF weir sites – excel
WCSA flows – GIS
Jackie King’s wetland classification / Hard copy only / Cate / SWs will collate inventory of positions and data available. / WQ, published, also veg and invertebrates assoc. with different wetlands.
SASS and biomonitoring / 50 yrs of WQ and inverts at Berg sites
King and Shael – W Cape Rivers / Cate / (Berg - Harrison, Kotze, Dallas)
King and Shael – WQ and sp. Level inverts. Spreadsheets and Primer.
Eco-regional level 2 and 3 classification of rivers (done as part of the reserve determination under National Water Act) / Level 1 only – 2 in process, not available
IWQS / Could assist with identifying manifestation of groundwater effects.
Level 1 too coarse.
4) PRECIPITATION AND EVAPORATION
Envisaged use: Use in analysis of potential recharge and flow components
Precipitation and evaporation data / Yes. With Umvoto for CCT Project.
CSIR has data for Zachoek and Jhoek. Possibly also for Houwhoek area.
Precipitation and evaporation data / Time Series weather bureau. Climatology / Umvoto has some stuff.
Precipitation and evaporation data / Roland Shultz agro hydro / CSIR has this
Snowmelt data:
(contribution of snowmelt from Hex and Matroosberg area?) / Check …? / Rowena to investigate / Priority? Which mountains in our study area would be relevant?
5) TERRAIN AND CONTOURS
Envisaged use: Combine with geology (lithology and structure) to deduce groundwater flow directions and discharge areas
Orthophotos and 20 m contours / Yes / See data audit for details
DEM / Lucille?

6) ESTUARIES

Envisaged use: Analyse the degree of dependence on groundwater
Flow requirements; water levels; when mouths are open or closed; variability of river flow and water levels / Check / Christine to speak to Lara van Niekerk and Susan Taljaard (CSIR)

7) COASTAL LAKES AND VLEIS

Envisaged use: To try and deduce the contribution of groundwater to river baseflow
Location; water levels; water quality; inflow and baseflow / Christine to speak to Lara van Niekerk and Susan Taljaard (CSIR) / Relevance and usefulness of this data? Are these features dependent on TMG groundwater?

8) VEGETATION

Envisaged use: Identify whether there is a correlation between contrasting (spatial and temporal) vegetation composition and structure, and probable groundwater features.
Kogelberg data (1:10 000) – Charlie Boucher map / Yes. CSIR has digital copy; or obtain from WCNCB / I have zip file
Possibly map vegetation in Franschoek area / no / (eg. using students & work with William Bond? Or Charlie Boucher?)
Vegetation mapping of Langeberg by Dave McDonald (NBI) (~1:10 000) / To be confirmed / Outside study area
National NBI vegetation map / Best broad scale vegetation map / In database.
Coarser mapping:
Eugene Moll’s satellite map / CSIR digital copy / Not Usefull
Coarser mapping:
1970s/1980s CNC veg maps of catchments / To be confirmed. Check with WCNCB / Koegelberg – may have additional info 028 271 5138, Steve 082 785 1045. Mark Johns. What’s the diff between this and Boucher stuff.
.
Hottentots Holland, 028 841 4826, 082 413 5258, Leon Lawrence,
Limietberg , Deon Rossouw 871 1535,
reserves to ask for hard copy maps.
Coarser mapping: CAPE broad habitat unit (BHUs) mapping by Cowling et al / Yes. From WCNCB / In database. Listed in data audit. (Helen de Klerk, WCNCB, Jonkershoek)
Riverine vegetation types / Christine to check with Cate
Occurrence of rare species / Dave to follow up with WCNCB

9) FAUNA

Envisaged use: Could use faunal species as indicators of effects of abstraction??
-Fish
-Amphibians
-Invertebrates / From WCNCB / David to check with WCNCB / Do we need data on this? To what level of detail?

10) REMOTE SENSING

Envisaged use: Seasonal-spatial changes in vegetation, vegetation “lushness” and supplement geological structure data
See data audit for details / Simon

Part C:Data catalogue

The following tables outline data on the TMG system that is known to exist or potentially be available.

Dataset / Custodian / Existence / Scale / License required / Cost / Have / Need
1. GEOLOGY
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3324 PE / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R6990 / CSIR / 2
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3322 Oudtshoorn / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R7150 / N / 2
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3320 Ladismith / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R8380 / N / 1
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3420 Riversdale / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R3880 / N / 2
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3319 Worcester / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R7620 / N / 1
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3318 Cape Town / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R4710 / N / 1
Geological Structure & Lithology: 3218 Clanwilliam / CGS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / R6650 / N / 1
Geology (1997) / CGS / Y / 1:1 000 000 / Y / R10 000 / N (only 1993, no licene) / 3
Structural geology - shows dips, folds faulting, offsets, fractures etc. / CGS / y / 1:50 000 / ? / ? / ?
Lithology / CGS / y / 1:50 000 / ? / ? / ?
2. HYDROGEOLOGY
Groundwater Regions of South Africa / WRC / Y / 1:1 000 000 / N / N/a / CSIR / 1
Standard Hydrological features / DWAF / Y / 1:500 000 / N / N/a / N / 1
Hydrogeological Map Series – Cape Town / DWAF / Y / 1:500 000 / N / N/a / CSIR / 1
Hydrogeological Map Series – Oudtshoorn / DWAF / Y / 1:500 000 / N / N/a / CSIR / 1
Hydrogeological Map Series – Port Elizabeth / DWAF / Y / 1:500 000 / N / N/a / CSIR / 1
Hydrogeological Map Series – Calvinia / DWAF / In Production / 1:500 000 / N / N/a / N / 1
Breede River Hydro-census data / Groundwater Consulting Services / y / ? / ? / ? / n / 1
Berg River Hydro-census data, Borehole data: point data, groundwater quality, levels, time series and possibly pumping rates / Unawarded tender / y / ? / ? / ? / n / 1
Hex River Hydro-census data / Roger Parsons & Assc / y / ? / ? / ? / n / 1
Springs including mountain springs: Flow rates and point data / DWAF / y / 1:500 000 / ? / ?
/ ? / ?
3. HYDROLOGY/GEOHYDROLOGY
Hydrological Features – rivers, estuaries, coastal lakes and vleis. Includes river flow data (different annual or hourly flow regimes; different baseflow contributions; flow duration curves and analyses; flood recession curves) / DWAF Geomatics, CSIR (estuaries), Southern Waters. / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:500 000 / Y / N/a / N / 1
4. CLIMATIC DATASETS
Precipitation and evaporation / CSIR / y / 1:50 000? / N / ? / ?
Snowmelt data / ? / ? / ? / ? / ? / ?
5. DIGITAL TOPOGRAPHY/TERRAIN
SLI Digital Topographic Features[1] / Surveyor General / Y / 1:500 000 / Y / R3 025 Western Cape (poss. more for CFK) / N / 1
Orthophotos and 20m contours / ? / y / 1:10 000 / ? / ? / N
6. GENERAL LAND COVER
ARC Land-types (+ pdf of land types descriptions) / ARC ISCW / Y / 1:250 000? / Y / R817 per sheet = R4902 / CSIR - only for 1:250K Oudtshoorn sheet / 1
National Landcover / CSIR / Y / 1:250 000 / N/a / N/a / CSIR / 1
ENPAT 2001[2] / DEA&T / Y / ~1:250 000 / Y / R500 for Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Metro Areas / Only previous version / 3
7. CAPE LAND USE COVER
Broad Habitat Units / Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (WCNCB) / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000
Irreplaceability Values / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Mammal Irreplaceability Values / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Priorities / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Priority Remnants / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Sensitive Lower Vertebrates / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Transformed Areas / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
Untransformed Areas / WCNCB / Y / 1:50 000 – 1:250 000 / Y / N/a / CSIR / 1
8. AQUATIC FEATURES
Degradation of Rivers and Wetlands / Fresh Water Research Unit- UCT / Y / ? / ? / ? / N / ?
Wetlands / DWAF / Y / ? / N / N/a / CSIR / 1
Jackie King’s wetland data / ? / Check with Cate? / ? / ? / ? / N
Eco-regional level 2 and 3 / DWAF or Southern Waters / Check with Cate(? / ? / ? / ? / N
9. INFRASTRUCTURE
N1 & N2 Data / Southern Waters / Y / ? / N / ? / Southern Waters
10. TOPOGRAPHIC AND CADASTRAL MAPS
Scanned Maps / GIMS / Y / 1:50 000 / Y / Selected
Scanned Maps / GIMS / Y / 1:250 000 / Y / Selected
Urban and Rural Cadastre / Chief Directorate: Cadastral Surveys (Surveyor General: Cape Town) / City of Cape Town (CCT) project / 1:50 000 / ? / ~R500
Provincial Nature Reserve Boundaries / WCNCB / CCT project / 1:50 000 to 1:6 250 / ? / ?
Local Authority Nature Reserves / WCNCB / CCT project / 1:50 000 to 1:6 250 / ?
Mountain Catchment Areas / WCNCB / CCT project / 1:50 000 to 1:6 250 / ?
Biosphere Reserves Zonation (Kogelberg & West Coast) / WCNCB / CCT project / 1:50 000 to 1:6 250 / ? / ?
National Heritage Sites / WCNCB / CCT project / ? / ? / ?
Conservancies / WCNCB / CCT project / ? / ? / ?
Private Nature Reserves / WCNCB / CCT project / 1:50 000 to 1:6 250 / ?
11. BOTANICAL MAPS
Kogelberg data (Boucher map) / WCNCB / Y / 1:10 000 / ? / ? / ?
1970’s/1980’s CNC vegetation map / WCNCB? / ? / ? / ? / ? / N
Eugene Moll’s satellite map / CSIR digital copy / Y / 1:250 000 / N / ? / ?
NBI vegetation map / ? / Y / 1:500 000 / N / None / y
Riverine vegetation type / Southern waters, Cate? / ? / ? / ? / ? / ?
Occurrence of rare species / WCNCB? / Check with WCNCB / N/A / N / ? / ?
12. FAUNA
Fish, amphibians, invertebrates etc / WCNCB? / ? / ? / ? / ? / N
FAO Fisheries GIS / FAO / ? / ? / ? / N / 3
13. REMOTE SENSING / ? / Check with Simon / ? / ? / ? / ? / ?

Need column: 1 = Essential, 2 = Useful, 3 = Nice to have

Franschoek Map Catalogue

Dataset / Custodian / Existence / Scale/Resolution / License required / Cost / Have
Digital Topographic Features / SLI / Y / 1:50 000 / Y / R451 for 4 1:50k sheets / Part of above
Landsat 7 ETM+
175 – 083/084 (19991102) / CSIR / Y / 30m Multi-spectral
15m Panchromatic / N / N/a / CSIR/ Southern Waters
DEM / CSIR / Y / 20m / ? / N/a / CSIR

Zachariashoek Map Catalogue supplied by David Le Maitre, CSIR. From Zachariashoek data document describing the main sources of existing data for the area.

Description / Scale (approx) / Date
Aerial photograph B& W / 1:12 000 / 1967
Topo & boreholes x 3 / 1:20 000
Geology transparency / 1:20 000
Catchments topo / 1:10 000
Catchments ortho-photo 3319CC 6&7 / 1:10 000 / 1978 photo
Catchments topo / 1:10 000 / 1971
Catchments topo + treatment sheet / 1:10 000 / 1971
Ortho-photo transparency with overlay / 1:10 000 / 1978 photo
Ortho-photo paper / 1:10 000 / 1978 photo
Ortho-photo transparency x2 / 1:10 000 / 1978 photo
Plant releve locations grid
Vegetation map paper / 1:10 000
Spot heights / 1:12 000
Vegetation map transparency / 1:10 000
Topo transparency / 1:10 000 / 1971

(The data outlined here be captured into GIS format through either digitising or scanning and geo-referencing if required)

1

WRC TMG Eco-impacts projects: Draft framework for data analysis, 5 February 2003

[1] Digital Topographic Features include Roads, Rivers, Dams, Pans, Railways, Railway Stations, Bridges, Power lines, some communications features, Schools, 20m contours

[2]ENPAT = Environmental Potential Atlas